Pulling on the Heartstrings
by BlueSky509
Summary: After a fight with Victoria,Misto decides to go for a walk.Little does he know what's waiting for him in the shadows...MistoxVicky,RumpleteazerxOC
1. Queens can be So Difficult!

Pulling on the Heartstrings

Chapter 1: Queens can be So Difficult!

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats, and I'm pretty sure I never will.

**Author's Note: Another romance story! Only this time, there's more fighting. That's in the next chapter, though. Misto and Victoria might be a little OOC, just sayin'. Enjoy!**

The day started out normal enough. The sun was shining, and not a cloud was in the sky. A warm, light breeze was blowing throughout the Jellicle Junkyard, making bits of discarded paper great toys for the kittens who loved to pounce and leap after them.

It was the perfect summer day.

Two queen kittens were playing around in a clearing, laughing while they leapt and bounded after the floating bits of paper the wind stirred up. One was black and brown, she was named Electra; the other was white and yellow, she was named Etcetera. They stopped laughing and playing as they heard loud, angry voices erupt from inside a den nearby.

Curious, they quietly snuck up to the entrance, careful not to make themselves be seen. The voices, they realized, were coming from a white queen known as Victoria and a tuxedo tom known as Mistofelees, or Misto, for short.

Electra worriedly glanced at her friend, whispering, "Vicky and Misto _never_ fight...I wonder what happened? It must be really bad to make them argue like this!"

Etcetera shot her a glare, signaling that she had to be quiet. Electra, getting the message, quieted down. They both put their ear to the wall again, and listened.

"No, Vic, it wasn't meant to be like that! I thought Jem knew you and I were together! You know how she is, being a kitten and all! She didn't know she was doing anything wrong!" Misto said, his voice raised.

"What did Jemima do?" Electra pondered out loud, now intrigued. Etcetera shot her friend another glare, making her quiet down again.

"Misto, you _kissed_ her! How do you think that makes _me _feel? What were you thinking?" shouted a distressed Victoria.

"You don't understand! She kissed me, not the other way around! I was trying to let her off easy, I was trying to make her understand that I was with you, and before I knew what was going on, she kissed me! I had no idea she would pull something like that!" yelled Misto.

"I caught you with her, I know what I saw! Don't try to cover it up by blaming it on Jem! I feel betrayed, Misto, don't you get it?" Victoria whimpered, near tears.

"Vic, I would never-"started Misto, but then stopped. A deathly silence enveloped the Junkyard for a few moments. Misto broke the silence. "Look, for the sake of both our lives, let's just stop. I need to cool down. I'm going for a walk." He said in a low, almost menacing, tone.

Electra and Etcetera glanced at each other, taking that as their cue to get out of there. They didn't want to be around an angry Misto, and for good reason. Since Misto was a cat with magical powers, his emotions played a huge part in controlling them. If his emotions got out of hand, so did his powers, and things could get ugly really fast.

The pair of queens scurried off to find something else to do, just as Misto emerged from the den. His paws were visibly shaking, a sign of just how close he was to losing it.

He walked to the entrance of the Junkyard, and nimbly climbed over the fence. He started down the old, cracked, concrete sidewalk, with no particular destination in mind.

Whenever Misto was confused, or angry, he would often take a stroll to clear his head, and talking about it, as he found out, helped quite a bit. He didn't care if he was talking to himself, or if anyone heard him.

"How could my own queenfriend think I was cheating on her? I'd never do that to her! I'm a loyal tom, and she knows it!" Misto said to himself, while kicking a rusted can out of his path.

"I know my ex-queenfriend, Jem, still has feelings for me, so maybe that's why she decided to kiss me goodbye...Either that, or she just let her emotions get the better of her...Jem's still so young, I bet she didn't think she was doing anything wrong. We were, after all, lovers for a bit. That's over now, though." He pondered out loud, looking up at the crumbling, abandoned buildings that were usually found in this area of London.

"What have you gotten yourself into, huh Misto? Your queenfriend thinks you're cheating on her, and now you've got to explain yourself. If only Vicky would understand that, above all else, you'd never leave her, no matter how tough things get...That would make this situation so much easier...But I guess she needed time to cool off, too. Queens can be so difficult when they're emotional!" Misto shouted to no one in particular.

"Having queen troubles, Mistofelees?" A voice said from an alley to Misto's left.

Misto stopped in his tracks; he knew that smooth, low voice anywhere. Afraid to go into the alley, he stood at its entrance, and called out, "Who's there?"

He already knew who it was, but his mind was too afraid to accept it. His worst fear was confirmed, however, when a tall, lean, ginger tom slunk out of the shadows and into the sunlight. His fur was matted and unkempt, and his eyes were a piercing acid yellow, always analyzing everything around them, always plotting.

"Macavity."Misto said, with no emotion in his voice. As scared as he was, he couldn't let this tom see through his ruse, or he would have that much more fun torturing him.

He wanted to run so badly, but Misto knew he couldn't outrun Macavity, or the henchcats he surly had with him, waiting to strike at their leader's command. He knew he was trapped, with no way out other than either death or Macavity's prison. Once the Hidden Paw had you in his sights, there was no escaping.

"It's such a pleasure to see you again, after what happened at the recent Jellicle Ball. How is that old cat doing anyway, hmm? My...informants, if you will, told me that _you _brought him back with your magic. How...predictable." Macavity purred in his sleazy tone.

Misto knew that the Hidden Paw was toying with him, trying to make him more uncomfortable than he already was. By the smug look on his face, Misto knew that he was enjoying every second of it.

Misto cleared his throat, as it had gotten tight with fear at the sight of the intimidating tom. "What do you want, Macavity?" Misto didn't bother answering his question; it was just a ploy to get him distracted.

Macavity snapped his fingers, and in the blink of an eye, six vicious-looking toms surrounded Misto, sneering and hissing.

Misto, however, stood his ground. He wasn't going to let these toms get the better of him, no matter how intimidating and feral they looked. He looked to Macavity, waiting for his fate.

"What I want, Mistofelees, is you. You knew this day would come. You can't hide from me forever, you know. The Jellicles may have you protected in that junkyard of theirs, but outside that fence, you are at _my _mercy. Since I finally have you in my grasp after all these years, I've got a proposition for you." Macavity paused, letting his words sink in. He inspected his claws. They were long and sharp, perfect for slicing the throat of any cat that got in his way.

"Go on." Misto prompted. He wanted to know whether he was going to die now, or later. Macavity once again turned his attention to Misto, staring at him with those deadly eyes.

"My proposition is become my henchcat, join me and live; or watch someone very close to you die a horrible, painful death, before you die as well." Macavity said non-chalantly, as if he made these kinds of deals all the time. He probably did, how else would he have gotten so many toms to work for him?

When Misto didn't answer, he asked again.

"So what will it be, my _son_? Life? Or death?"

**Author's Note: Oooh cliffie! What's Misto going to choose? Stay tuned to find out! Review, please! **


	2. Magic is NOT for Combat!

Pulling on the Heartstrings Chapter 2: Magic is NOT for Combat

Disclaimer: Sorry guys, I still don't own Cats!

**Author's Note: Warning: This chapter contains violence and death! Reader discretion is advised. Haha, just kidding, it's not that bad. If anyone's wondering, NO, Misto does NOT get killed! I hope that put some of your minds at ease. He does get hurt quite a bit, though. Well, don't say I didn't warn you!Oh, yes, thanks to all my reviewers and readers!  
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Macavity stared at Misto, expecting an answer. He tapped his foot, getting impatient. While Macavity was waiting for a reply, Misto's thoughts were racing. "_I'll never work for him! I don't want to be his slave! But...The stakes are so high...If I don't accept, not only will I die, but someone close to me will die, too...I can't let that happen. There has to be another way! Think, Misto, think!" _

He was wracking his brain for an idea to get himself out of this mess. The stress was getting to him. He felt the magic starting to boil up inside, begging to be let out. "_That's it! Magic!"_

Like a light bulb, the idea lit Misto's mind up, and he was ready to give his answer. He squared his shoulders, and looked Macavity straight in the eye. "No, father. I will not work for you." He said with an authority he didn't know he had.

Macavity gave the slightest smirk. "Wrong answer, Misto. Boys, have your fun with him." On cue, the feral toms unsheathed their claws and advanced towards Misto.

Misto was prepared, however. He unsheathed his own claws and let out a menacing hiss. One gray tom lunged, going for his neck. Misto saw him and zapped the tom with a yellow bolt of magic, which struck him straight in the face, making him recoil with a whimper before he kneeled over, lifeless.

A copper and white-patched tom was next. He swiped at Miso's left arm, but missed with mere centimeters to spare. Misto, in turn, managed to claw the tom's face, sending him reeling into a wall, yowling in pain. He, too, sunk to the ground, going limp.

By this time, adrenaline was rushing through Misto's veins, making the magic inside him build up faster. "_Just a little longer...C'mon, just wait for it..."_ Misto thought, eying the hissing cats around him.

The third tom got lucky. He ran up from behind, and before Misto could stop him, he delivered a blow to his back, leaving three bleeding gashes before retreating with a triumphant sneer.

Misto fell to his knees, screaming in pain. _"That's it, I'm done playing! I'll show these cats who they're really dealing with!"_ he thought as he gasped for air.

He stood up shakily, wincing, and once he had his balance, he brought his paws together. He focused his mind, letting the magic overtake him. A bright flash of light followed by an explosion of energy burst from his paws, sending everyone around him flying.

Knowing they were momentarily distracted, Misto made a run for it. Despite the pain that was erupting from his back, he ran as fast as he could through the smoke and dust that now enveloped him.

Coughing, Misto was finally out of the smoke cloud as he heard Macavity's voice shout from somewhere behind him. "Get him! Bring him back here alive!" These words only made Misto run faster.

Soon enough, Misto heard footsteps close behind him. At this point, he knew his efforts were futile, and he was getting tired. He was nowhere near the Junkyard, so he couldn't call for help.

He suddenly felt himself being tackled towards the ground. Grunting as he collided with the concrete sidewalk, Misto tried to pin his attacker, but the momentum wouldn't allow it. He rolled with the tom, and he was the one who ended up pinned.

"Nice try, punk!" the black and brown tom chuckled as Misto attempted to free himself from underneath the cat. The tom, realizing his captive was trying to get away once again, slugged him across the face, making him go limp, but not unconscious.

He laughed quietly again as he hoisted Misto over his shoulder, like a thief might do with his sack of loot. "Let's bring ya back to da boss, he wants ta see ya." The tom said, smiling maliciously.

The other toms had caught up to them, and were now walking behind them, making sure Misto didn't try anything funny. They got back to Macavity, who had his arms crossed and an emotionless, cold, expression on his face.

Misto gave a hiss as his captor threw him down at Macavity's feet, making his back and head throb as they hit the hard ground. Macavity nodded, and the henchcat stepped back.

Macavity leered down at his son, giving him a fleeting smirk. "Bad idea, son. Now you have to pay for what you did to my henchcats, as well." he explained. The Hidden Paw gestured to his minions. "I didn't say you were finished, now did I?" He stepped back, letting the toms have their revenge against their fallen comrades.

The three of them that were left(the gray one had been killed by Misto's magic) nodded towards their leader and surrounded Misto, smiling in victory. Misto felt multiple blows simultaneously to his back, chest, and torso, making him scream in agony as the toms kicked and slashed at him.

An idea suddenly struck Macavity. He held up his hand, and yelled "stop!" The black and brown tom that had tackled Misto earlier was having too much fun, and didn't stop at his leader's command when the other henchcats did. He kept kicking Misto, enjoying his victim's pain.

Without hesitation, Macavity walked up to the disobedient tom and grabbed him roughly by the throat. The tom grunted as the paw around his neck became tighter, making the claws sink further into his skin. Macavity stared the tom in the eye. "When I say stop, I mean stop immediately. Do you understand?" Macavity explained in a low, harsh whisper, baring his sharp teeth at the now frightened tom.

The tom nodded his head fervently in reply; it was all he could do since he was being suffocated. "Good." The Hidden Paw said as he threw the poor tom against the brick wall of the alley, resulting with a sickening _crack_ that made the remaining two henchcats wince in sympathy.

Their friend and comrade lay against the wall, his neck bent in an unnatural way. Blood was oozing from it, marking where Macavity's claws were. Macavity surveyed his work, unfazed.

He turned around to face his minions. "See what happens when you disobey your leader? You, Elijah," he pointed to the black tom, "go get reinforcements. At least ten. Bring them here as fast as you can, we're setting an ambush." Elijah ran off as fast as he could towards Macavity's hideout.

Macavity then pointed towards the last brown tom. "Watch our prisoner. He may still be able to use magic. If he tries anything funny, knock him out." The brown tom did as he was told and crouched down beside the half-conscious Misto, watching him intently.

Macavity also crouched down beside Misto. "We're setting a little ambush for your friends, Mistofelees. I want that queen of yours. When they come, I'll fight them until they had her over; even if it means getting my paws bloody myself." He finished with a hiss.

Something caught the brown tom's attention and he turned his head to look down the alley. Out of the darkness came Elijah, leading about ten other toms of various sizes. Some were big and burly, like the ones Misto had fought; others were lean and agile-looking. They all had that feral look to them, like they have lived on the streets all their lives.

They stopped in front of Macavity, waiting for their orders. Some started talking in harsh whispers at the sight of Mistofelees and the four dead toms. Macavity stood up, and the toms immediately quieted down.

"My loyal henchcats, I'm sure you have noticed your fallen comrades. They all died at the hands of this small, pathetic-looking black and white tom at my feet, as hard as that is to believe." Macavity announced, almost laughing himself. All the toms snickered at the mention of Misto.

The Hidden Paw cleared his throat, and the toms became silent once more. "However, this tom has already received his punishment, as you can probably tell. I did not call you all here to mourn over your dead friends. I called you here because we are setting an ambush! We are going to take our revenge out on the Jellicles! Once they realize their friend has gone missing, they'll come here to find him. When they do, you will attack. Show no mercy. This is but only part of our objective, boys. The other part is simple. My spies have told me that this pitiful tom has a mate. A white queen. If she comes along, your job is to catnap her, but not hurt her. We need her as our prisoner. If she doesn't, your job will be to take her by force at the Jellicle Junkyard. Now, take your positions, and wait for my signal."

The eleven toms immediately took their places in the alley, hiding behind trash cans, dumpsters, and in some of the old buildings that had broken windows. It had gotten dark, and the toms were almost impossible to see in the shadows.

Macavity beckoned to Elijah, who crept out from his hiding spot and to his leader's side. "Sir? What do you need from me?" he asked quietly. "I need you to take care of my son. Prop him up against that wall, make it look like he tripped and fell." Macavity ordered. "Yes, sir." Elijah replied, standing up and walking over to Misto.

He hitched his arms under Misto's shoulders and dragged him to the brick wall opposite him. Misto winced and grunted in pain as he felt himself being moved. Elijah smirked, muttering, "wimp" as he propped him up against the wall, in a sitting position. He scattered some trash around Misto to make it look like he tripped. Satisfied, Elijah scampered back to his hiding spot, becoming invisible once more in the darkness.

Macavity positioned himself behind the wall opposite Misto; he was in the perfect position to not be seen by anyone coming from the direction of Jellicle Junkyard. All was silent, except for Misto's labored breathing and the occasional car that rumbled by.

**Author's Note: Please don't hate me!I love Misto, too, but who doesn't want to see him fight for himself? Anyway, review if you liked it!**


	3. The Search Party

Disclaimer: See chapter 1 and 2. For those of you who are too lazy to press the "Back" button, I don't own Cats. Happy? Good! Moving on...

**A/N: Hooray! Chapter three! Quite a few of you have been waiting for this one. This one does have more fighting, and some catnapping...Enjoy! A big thank you to everyone who reviewed and stayed with the story so far! You guys are awesome!**

Victoria was sitting outside the den she and Misto shared, waiting. It had been over two hours, and Misto still hasn't come back. It was already dark, and Victoria was getting worried. "_Oh, Misto, where are you? I'm sorry I didn't stop and think that you really meant what you said! Jemima explained the whole thing to me, and she's really sorry. If only I could tell you the same..." _ Victoria sighed, and put her head on her knees.

"Mistofelees still hasn't returned?" A familiar voice asked. Victoria looked up and saw Munkustrap approaching her. She shook her head in reply. "What have I done, Dad? I've driven Misto off, and now he won't come back! I'm a terrible queen!" She buried her head in her arms, tears pricking her eyes.

Munk crouched down next to her, and rubbed his daughter's back soothingly. "You're not terrible, Vicky. You know how he gets with his magic. It takes a while for him to control it. Misto's probably on his way back right now. If it makes you feel any better, I can send out a few search parties. You can go with Alonzo and look for him, ok sweetie?" Munk reassured his daughter.

Victoria stopped crying and looked up at her father again. "Really? Thanks so much, Dad!" She hugged her dad tightly, and ran off to go find Alonzo. "Just be careful! Don't go too far!" Munk shouted after her. Chuckling, he went to round up a few cats to form a search party.

After a few minutes of asking around, Munkustrap had come up with two other search parties; Demeter and Bombalurina, and Coricopat and Tantomile. Vicky and Alonzo met up with the group at the entrance of the Junkyard.

"Demeter and Bomba, you check by the fish fountain down South that Misto likes; Vicky and Alonzo; check up North by the round-about with the oak tree. Cori and Tanto, search by the restaurants that Misto performs at in the East. I can't go with you; I have to keep on patrol. Try to be back in an hour." Munkustrap instructed his search parties.

The cats nodded in agreement and went off on their separate ways. A few minutes passed, and Victoria picked up Misto's stale scent. "He went this way, 'Lonz, I can smell him. C'mon!" Victoria picked up her pace, Alonzo not far behind. "You would know, Vic! Even I can't smell him. I barely talk to the tom!" He laughed as he kept his pace with his friend.

Vicky playfully slapped his arm, blushing a little. They continued walking in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Alonzo insisted that they both turn back, but Victoria was determined.

She suddenly stopped in her tracks, making Alonzo almost collide into her. "What the-? What is it, Vic? Why'd you stop?" 'Lonz asked, confused. He sniffed the air, and noticed a few unrecognizable scents of cats. He looked at Victoria, who was staring at the ground.

He followed her gaze, and his breath caught in his throat. She was staring at a small blood stain on the sidewalk that seemed to make a trail, leading in the direction they were going. She crouched down, rubbed the stain with her paw, and brought it up to her nose.

Her eyes widened as she recognized the scent. She started shaking, and reached a paw toward Alonzo. He took her paw and crouched down next to her. "It's his blood, isn't it? C'mon, we'd better hurry." He didn't bother to wait for a reply; they both knew what the answer was. Victoria stood up, still shaking. A million thoughts of what could have happened to her tomfriend flooded her mind.

She let Alonzo lead the way. The cautiously followed the almost invisible trail, along with Misto's scent. Before long, they came upon an alley where the smell of toms was as strong as ever. Victoria could also smell more of Misto's blood, which made her even more afraid.

Her fear disappeared, however, when she spotted her lover sitting against a wall. "Misto!" She exclaimed happily while loping up to him. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly, letting out a contented purr.

A pained hiss escaped his lips and Victoria drew back, a look of worry replacing her relieved one. "Misto...? What's wro-Oh, Bast!" She swore as she took in his bruised, bleeding body. "Who did this? They'll pay, whoever they are!" She vowed, now getting angry.

"...Vic? You need...to get out of here...It's a trap...Run..." The loss of blood and exhaustion caused by his magic weakened Misto considerably, and he could only manage a soft whisper. His queenfriend stared at him for a few moments, confused. "What do you mean? I don't understand...Run from what?" She asked, completely oblivious to the movement behind her.

Alonzo didn't notice it either; he was still trying to figure out what all these different scents meant, and why Misto was so beat up. The smell of the dead toms didn't help, either.

"I believe he means run from me." Macavity emerged from the shadows, standing directly behind Victoria. Her hackles rose as she recognized the voice. Macavity crouched down beside her, and placed a single, sharp claw under her chin. He slowly stood up, making her stand up with him. She didn't resist; if she did, she knew he would have no problem cutting her throat.

Seeing what Macavity was doing to Victoria, Alonzo gave a loud hiss and charged at him, claws unsheathed, attempting to push him away from her. When he was about five feet away, Macavity raised his free arm and sent a bolt of magic straight towards Alonzo, hitting him in the chest. Alonzo gave a yelp as the bolt made contact and sent him flying back several feet. He collided with the ground, making a loud _thud_.

"I wouldn't try that again, if I were you. Next time you might not be so lucky." Macavity threatened Alonzo in a surprisingly calm, cool tone. Alonzo moaned in pain, but he managed to sit up. "What are you going to do with her? And Misto?" 'Lonz asked, rubbing his chest. He didn't want to attack again; he already had trouble just sitting up, attacking would be pointless in his current condition.

"Ah, very good question. Queenie here-" Macavity was interrupted by Victoria. "Hey! I have a _name_, you know! It's Victoria!" In response to her outburst, he pressed his claw harder against her neck, making her wince. "If you know what's good for you, _Victoria, _you'd keep quiet." He hissed. Victoria whimpered, but kept her mouth shut. "As I was saying, you will be our hostage, along with Mistofelees. You, tom-"he pointed at Alonzo, "will be my messenger. Tell that Jellicle Protector of yours, Munkustrap, that if he wants his two friends back, he has to surrender. If he doesn't accept by sundown in three days, well, let's just say you'll never see these two again." Macavity ended with a malicious smile, and motioned his head towards Misto.

Out of the shadows emerged Elijah, and effortlessly picked up Misto, hoisting him over his shoulder. Macavity put his free hand up, stopping him from going anywhere. "Give our messenger the run of his life boys; chase him to the Junkyard, but don't kill him. We need him to deliver our message. Go." He snapped his fingers, and the ten other toms darted out of the alley, heading for Alonzo.

Now somewhat recovered, Alonzo got to his feet and started running just as one of the toms lunged for him. He missed, but landed on all fours, hissing in frustration. Alonzo could easily out-run the toms, as he was the fastest runner in the Junkyard, next to Munk. He had no problem avoiding their swipes and lunges.

Macavity smirked and turned his attention to Victoria again. "Now for you, my dear. I don't want to take any chances with you finding out where my hideout is, so..." He removed his claw from underneath her chin, and quickly raised his paw, delivering a strong blow to the side of her head, causing her to go unconscious.

He caught her before she could hit the ground. Misto had blacked out not too long ago, due to blood loss and exhaustion. Macavity closed his eyes and focused his mind. In the blink of an eye, the four of them disappeared without a trace.

They reappeared in a puff of smoke in Macavity's hideout, which was an immense, abandoned warehouse. They were specifically in the part of the warehouse where the jail cells were located. Elijah opened one of the unlocked doors to one of the empty cells, setting Misto down inside. Macavity did the same with Victoria, and stepped out of the cell, followed by Elijah.

Elijah closed the door behind him, and looked around for the jail warden. He found him slouching against a chair a little further down the hall, dozing off. Macavity noticed this as well was stalked up to the tom, swiftly whacking him upside the head. "Wake up, lazy-ass!" He shouted.

The tom gave a start and a frightened yelp, falling off his chair. "What tha' 'ell?" He yelled irritably, rubbing his now throbbing head. His tone turned much kinder as he looked up to see who had interrupted his nap. "Oh! 'Ey, boss! What can I do fo' ya'? Sorry 'bout tha', uh, must o' fallen asleep! Ya know 'ow borin' jail duty can get!" He finished with a nervous chuckle.

Macavity was not pleased. "Go lock up cell 237-"he pointed to the cell Misto and Victoria were in, "and get the healer; I don't want our newest prisoner bleeding to death, he's our hostage. Also, don't let me catch you sleeping on the job again, or you'll have to deal with me. "The tom nodded fervently. "Yes, sir!" He stood up, grabbed his keys, and darted to the cell. He fiddled with the keys for a few moments before finally finding the right one, and locking the door.

He then started swiftly down hall, toward the healer's office. Elijah scowled after the tom, disappointed with his lack of responsibility. He looked back at Macavity, waiting for his orders.

"You are dismissed." Macavity waved him off before making his way to his own office. Elijah saluted him, and headed off to his own room to get some rest.

**A/N: Don't worry guys, Alonzo's okay! If you're wondering just who Elijah is, he's just someone I made up on the spot. He's kind of like Macavity's second-in-command, just like 'Lonz is to Munk. He might actually turn into an OC later on, I kinda like him. Macavity's henchcats get so little recognition...some character development on their part might be good for their image. Hope you liked it! Reviews are the key to an improved story!:)**


	4. The Rescue Plan

Disclaimer: Last time I checked, I didn't own Cats, so there. Ha. Oh, but I do own my first eva OC, Elijah, so no stealing!

**A/N: As you can probably tell, I decided to make Elijah an actual OC. See my profile for what he looks like, his personality, etc. If anyone wants to do a concept drawing for me, I'd be delighted! This chappie takes place in the Junkyard, just in case anyone's confused. Enjoy!**

Alonzo ran for his life. With ten of Macavity's best henchcats chasing after him, why wouldn't he? He could easily keep ahead of them; and their claws and teeth. Finally reaching the Junkyard, he used his momentum to vault himself over the fence, out of reach of the determined toms. He ran straight to Munkustrap's den, not bothering to look back.

Seeing their job completed, the toms stopped running and started walking back to the hideout, splitting up so they would be less suspicious.

Alonzo burst into Munk's den, panting heavily. At the sight of his friend, worry washed over Munk and he helped 'Lonz to sit as he caught his breath. "What happened? Why isn't Victoria with you? Did you find Mistofelees?" Munk shot question after question at his friend, determined to find out why he was in such a state.

Still panting, 'Lonz looked up with sadness in his eyes. "Vicky and Misto...have been catnapped...Macavity." was all he could manage, but Munk understood perfectly. "What? Why didn't you protect her? Tell me exactly what happened, Alonzo." Munk said in a less harsh tone after his outburst.

'Lonz held his paws up in surrender. "Alright, jeez, keep your fur on. We were walking down the street, like you told us, when Vic picked up Misto's scent. We followed that when we both picked up scents of other toms, and saw blood stains on the ground. Don't ask how Vicky knew it was Misto's blood, she can track that tom from like, a gazillion miles away! Anyway, we followed the scents, and the blood stains were actually a trail that lead to-guess who-Misto! Before I could stop her, she ran up to him, happy as a clam. I was happy we found him too, but I didn't like the terrible state he was in, all bleeding and bruised." He paused his long-winded story to catch his breath.

"Go on." Munk prompted. He didn't like where this was going, and by the look on his face; neither did Alonzo.

"Then, who would of thought, Macavity appeared from out of nowhere and threatened Vic with his claw at her neck," Munk let out a quiet hiss at the mention of Macavity's name, "and I tried to get him away, but he got me with his magic and told me to tell you: "If he doesn't accept my offer of surrender by sundown in three days, then you'll never see Misto and Vic again."" Alonzo did a terrible impression of Macavity, but managed to keep a straight face. "Then he sent ten of his henchcats after me, and here we are." 'Lonz ended his tale, gesturing at Munk.

"I see...Thank you, Alonzo, I now know you tried the best you could. Now, we have to think of a rescue plan. Surrender is not an option. Got any ideas?" Munk asked, raising an eyebrow at Alonzo. Alonzo shook his head, at a complete loss as to how to even get to the Hidden Paw's hideout, let alone infiltrate it without getting caught.

Munk stared at the floor of his den for a few moments, thinking hard. His face then lit up as he thought of something, a slow smile creeping up his face. "What? Do you have an idea?" 'Lonz asked, hopeful. "Yes, yes I do. Where are Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer?" Munk asked, still smiling.

"Uhh...I think they were in their den the last time I checked. But why would you need-Ooh, I get it! I'll go get them, hold on a sec!" 'Lonz exclaimed, catching on. He darted out of the den and towards the cats' in question.

When he got there, he peeked inside, and just as he suspected, the siblings were sound asleep. He hated to disturb them, but this was very important. Creeping quietly inside the den, he bent down and shook Rumpleteazer awake.

"'Ey, Oi was troiyin' ta sleep! Wha' d'ya want?" She asked irritably. "Munk needs you and your brother. C'mon, we have to hurry!" Alonzo said, turning to wake Mungojerrie up, too. Rumpleteazer rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stood up, yawning. She made her way out of the den, waiting outside for her brother and friend.

After a few unintelligible complaints from 'Jerrie, he was up, too, and the three walked back to Munk's den. When they arrived, Munk sat the trio down and explained the whole story to the two calicos. When he was done, he proposed his plan.

"Since you two used to work for him, you're the only ones who know the place inside and out, right?" Munk asked, hoping they might remember something from their time working for the Hidden Paw. "Roight! We know it loike the back o' ah paws!" piped up 'Jerrie. His sister nodded in agreement.

Munk looked pleased. "Great. Where do you think he might be holding Mistofelees and Vicky?"

The notorious duo glanced at each other, smirking. "Tha' jail cells. We know tha' best way ta get in and out, without bein' seen. 'Jerrie, do ya remembah tha' passage way behoind tha' cells, leadin' ta...ya know..." 'Teazer trailed off, a look of pain crossing her striped face.

'Jerrie patted his sister's shoulder, consoling her. "Mac' used ta 'ave an execution room, tha' lead ta tha' outsoide, so they could, umm, dispose o' tha' corpses. They stopped usin' it, an' now its jus' storage. Tha' passage way 'as been forgotten boiy ev'reyone 'cept Mac' 'imself. " 'Jerrie explained.

Munkustrap thought about what he just heard with a serious expression. "Alright. Do you know how to get out without being seen, even with two, possibly injured, cats following you?"

'Jerrie and 'Teazer rolled their eyes, smiling with self-confidence. "O' course we do! We'll se' up a diversion, long enough so tha' ah friends can ge' away, safe an' sound! Then we'll follow, an' i' will be as if nothin' 'ad 'appened!" 'Teazer said, thinking her plan was fool-proof.

"What if you or our friends get caught? Then what?" Alonzo asked quizzically. 'Jerrie gave a snort, starting to laugh. "Didja 'ear 'im, sis? 'E thinks tha' best thieves in _London_ will ge' caught! Ya 'ah funny, 'Lonz! As fo' ah' friends," 'Jerrie grew serious, "Then we'll jus' 'ave ta take tha' risk." He finished, looking at Munk for confirmation.

Munk nodded, not completely loving the plan, but it was the best they had. "It sounds pretty good. Not perfect, but the best we have, considering the circumstances. Right now, you two are our only hope. Tomorrow night, you will execute our plan. Now, go get some rest. You'll both need it. Thanks, guys, you really came through for us." Munk finished, giving the pair each a friendly clap on the shoulder and showing them the exit.

"Ah' pleasure, sah!" 'Jerrie and 'Teazer exclaimed simultaneously, mock-saluting Munk and scampering off. He heard Alonzo give a quiet chuckle at the pair's enthusiasm.

Munk went back inside, and sat down again, sighing. He held his head between his paws. Alonzo crouched down beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You're worried about them, aren't you? Don't worry, they'll be fine. After all, they said they're the best thieves in London. I don't doubt them on that." He said, trying to ease his friend's anxiety.

"No, no, it's not 'Jerrie and 'Teazer I'm worried about. I know I can count on them." Munk sighed again, and looked over at Alonzo, with pain in his eyes. "It's Victoria I'm worried about. She's in Macavity's hideout, 'Lonz! Who _knows_ what she could be going through right now?" Alonzo shuddered in response, not wanting to think of the possibilities.

"Well, you have to look at the bright side at times like this, Munk." Alonzo offered, trying to comfort him. "What bright side? My daughter's been catnapped, along with Mistofelees, and they've been taken to the worst place next to hell!" Munk exclaimed, his voice breaking slightly.

"That may be true, but you have the best plan you can get under the circumstances, and you have the best couple of cats to carry it out! We'll get Vic and Misto back, and then some!" Alonzo said happily, smiling encouragingly at Munk.

He gave a small smile back, and stood up. "You're right. Knowing 'Jerrie and 'Teazer, they'll go the extra mile, especially for their friends. Thanks 'Lonz, I don't know what I'd do without you. You go get some rest, we've got a big day tomorrow." Munk mock-saluted his friend and Alonzo returned the gesture.

"G'night, then. See ya tomorrow." Alonzo said, leaving to go to his own den, just as Demeter stepped in. "G'night 'Lonz." Munk replied as his friend left. Demeter walked up to Munk, giving him a tight hug. "I heard what happened. Are you alright?" She asked. Munk returned the hug, kissing the top of her head. "Thanks to Alonzo, I am. If it wasn't for him, I'd be tearing my headfur out right about now." He said, chuckling softly. "Don't worry, I'm sure she's alright, she has Misto with her, after all." Demeter tried to reassure her mate.

"Have you _heard _what condition 'Lonz found Misto in? I bet he can't even stand up, let alone fight." Munk scoffed, breaking their embrace. "But there's no use worrying about it, we'll just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow." He sighed, and lay down in their nest of blankets. Demeter followed suite, and curled up next to him, closing her eyes.

"Good night, hun." Demeter whispered, nuzzling closer to her mate. "Good night, Dem." Munk replied, wrapping his arm around her. He closed his eyes and drifted off into a fitful sleep.

**A/N: Oh, 'Lonz, you always know how to cheer someone up! The next chappie will have more Elijah in it, I promise. Anyway, review!**


	5. Indecision

Chapter 5: Indecision

Disclaimer: Really? You need _another _one? Whatever, I don't own Cats.

**A/N: If you remember from the end of the last chappie, I promised that this one would have more Elijah, so here you go! I'd like to thank all of you who kept up with the story thus far; it makes me happy that other people like my work! Thank you! *applauds* Enjoy! Oh, just a warning to all my readers, there's a little swearing and violence in this one. But hey, it's Macavity's hideout, what do you expect?  
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Victoria woke with a groan. The side of her head was throbbing with pain, but she couldn't remember why. She looked around frantically, trying to figure out where she was. Vague images of Macavity, Alonzo, and Mistofelees came back to her.

"_Misto! Where are you?"_ She thought as she scanned her surroundings. She sighed in relief as the sleeping form of Misto came into her line of sight. Something was different about him, though. He had bloodied, grayish-white gauze on his back.

Victoria crawled over to him and gently shook his shoulder. "Misto...Misto! Wake up!" The only response she got was bared teeth and a quiet hiss.

Then Victoria remembered his back. "Oops! Sorry! I Forgot..." she said apologetically. She stood up, leaving Misto be, and walked over to the bars that made up the front wall of the cell.

Wrapping her paws around the black, rusted, iron bars, she looked out from behind them, only seeing a cell identical to hers on the opposite side of the corridor.

Noticing some movement in said cell, she decided to call out. "Hey, you! Can you tell me where I am, please?" She called softly, hoping the other cat would answer.

Two yellow eyes appeared from the shadows, and the owner was a queen that couldn't be much older than Victoria, herself. Victoria let out a slight gasp as the queen came into the light.

She was too thin, and her gray coat looked as if it hadn't been groomed in weeks. It was matted and dirty. She looked almost frail, and definitely afraid. Her eyes met Victoria's and she immediately looked away.

"You're in Macavity's hideout...The worst place known to man or cat." The gray queen said in a soft voice. She looked at with Victoria with pity in her eyes.

"'Ey! Shu'up! Ya know tha' rules: No talkin'!" From his post on his chair, the jail warden flung an empty can at the gray queen's cell, producing a loud _clang _as it hit the iron bars.

The queen yelped in surprise at the sound and darted back into the shadows. Victoria scowled at the dark brown tom. "Hey, that wasn't very nice! Say sorry to her!" She shouted, sticking up for the queen.

The jail warden turned his attention to Victoria, now getting even more irritated. He stood up, and walked over to her, tail lashing. He let out a menacing hiss, which made Victoria recoil from the bars in fear.

He stared her down, making her look away. "I said, shu'up, Queenie. Now unless ya want ta get a lesson in the manners we use 'round 'ere, I suggest ya do as I-" His threat was cut short as he heard footsteps coming from down the hall.

"What's going on in here? Remmy! Why are you teasing the new prisoner?" A black tom demanded as he came up to the scene.

Remmy ducked his head, now looking sheepish. "Uhh, she wouldn't keep quiet, so, I decided ta give-"He was cut off by the black tom again.

"Save it; I don't care. Just get back to your post." Remmy huffed in frustration, but stalked off back to his chair.

The black tom turned his head to look at Victoria, who was stifling a giggle at the exchange in front of her. "Sorry about that. Remmy loves to tell the prisoners off any chance he gets. By the way, I'm Elijah. Macavity's second-in-command. I take it you're...Darn it, I forgot your name again! Mac' told me...Vanessa, was it?" Elijah scratched his headfur, trying to remember.

"Victoria. It's nice to meet you, Elijah. I don't really remember much from last night, except for my tomfriend being injured, my friend being chased off by a bunch of toms, and Macavity hitting me in the head. The rest is just blank..." Victoria said, focusing her gaze on the rough, dingy, concrete floor.

Elijah snapped his fingers, now remembering her name. "Right. Victoria. Misto's your tomfriend? I coulda sworn Mac' said mate..." He said, motioning his head toward Misto.

"Misto? My mate? No, no, no. _Tomfriend_, not mate. And how did you know Misto's name?" Victoria asked, cocking her head.

"Mac' might have mentioned it once or twice. Anyway, since I was put in charge of taking care of you guys, I want to see how your _tomfriend_ is doing." Elijah smirked, and fiddled with the keys he was carrying on his belt. When he found the right one, he unlocked the door and stepped inside, closing and locking it behind him.

Elijah walked over and crouched down beside Misto. He carefully removed the old gauze and checked the wounds. "Damn, Alex got him good...Ugh, that idiot of a healer didn't even clean the gashes...Well, at least the bleeding stopped." He muttered, bundling up the used gauze.

He looked up at Victoria, who was peering over his shoulder with a concerned expression on her face. "Don't worry, I'll fix him up. Just hold on a sec." Elijah stood up and unlocked the cell door, letting himself out. He locked it again, and turned to face Victoria.

"I'll give the healer a nice lesson responsibility for you, ok? See ya in a bit." Elijah winked, and headed off down the corridor, towards the healer's office.

Victoria giggled at his charming gesture, and waited to hear this "lesson". If it was anything like the one the gray queen had had, the healer would sure be in for it now.

After a few minutes of silence, Victoria heard distant shouting coming from down the hall.

"I tell you to do the best you can, and _this _is what I get? A half-assed job when it counts the most? What the hell were you thinking?" shouted an angry voice Victoria recognized as Elijah's. She winced at the fury in his tone. _"Remind me to never get him angry..." _She thought as she listened.

She heard something clatter as it hit the floor, followed by a loud _thud._ "I-I'm sorry, Elijah! It won't h-happen again, I p-promise! Please don't k-kill me!" A strangled, distressed voice pleaded. Victoria could only assume it was the healer and that Elijah and just thrown him against a wall.

"Well "sorry" isn't going to bring our hostage back if he dies from infection, now is it? Is it?" Victoria heard Elijah demand. By the sound of the healer's short gasps, she could tell he was now chocking him.

She felt pity for the healer. _"Is Elijah going too far? What if he does end up killing him?"_ She thought, now growing afraid of her new acquaintance.

"No, no s-sir!" Came the softer, shaky voice of the healer. Victoria caught a glimpse of him as he was sent flying out of his office, and into the brick wall opposite it. She saw him sink down to the floor, panting.

She then saw Elijah storm out of the office, and up to the tom. She saw him grab the healer by his headfur, yanking it so he was forced to look at him. "Good. Now that we understand each other, I don't expect you to make the same mistake again!" Elijah finished by kicking the tom in the head, no doubt sending him unconscious.

Victoria didn't want to see what he would do next, if he was going to do anything at all. She backed away from the bars and huddled next to Misto. Instead of hearing some blood-curdling scream, the sound of a faucet running and some quiet rustling coming from the healer's office reached her ears.

Before long, she heard footsteps approaching the cell. She looked up to see Elijah, as calm as ever, standing on the other side of the bars. He was holding a small metal bowl of water and some clean rags and gauze.

"Mind giving me a hand? Can't reach my keys if my hands are full." Elijah said, offering Victoria the rags and gauze through the bars. Victoria cautiously approached him, took the linens, and made a hasty retreat back to her place beside Misto.

"Why are you so scared of me, all of a sudden...?" Elijah cocked an eyebrow, noticing her new caution towards him. His face lit up as the realization hit him. "Oh, you think I'll treat you and Misto like I did the healer! No, no, I was just teaching that son of a _pollicle_ not to screw around with his job, or my orders. I won't hurt you; you have my word." He put his free arm across his chest, as if he was taking a pledge, and bowed his head. He waited for Victoria to accept his promise.

"Alright, I believe you. What I don't understand, though, is why you were so harsh with the healer. You gave me quite a scare. He's not dead...is he?" Victoria asked, letting her guard down a little.

"Naw, he'll be fine. He's tough. As to why I was so harsh with him, well, it's like Macavity always says: If a henchcat does something wrong once, warn him. If he does it again, beat him to your heart's content; but whatever you do, don't kill him." Elijah said reciting the motto he had drilled into his head when he became second-in-command.

Victoria nodded, now understanding. She watched as Elijah fished his keys from his belt, and unlocked the cell door. She stood aside as he sat down beside Misto, and handed him a rag.

He set the bowl down, and dipped the rag in it. He gently dabbed Misto's wounds, causing him to hiss in pain. Victoria winced in sympathy; she hated seeing the one she loved in pain.

Things were quiet for a while, as Elijah continued to clean Misto's gashes, and Victoria watching him.

After watching him work for a few more minutes, Victoria couldn't help but notice a narrow, pink scar poking through his short fur that ran from behind his jawbone to the middle of his throat on the left side. A few minutes passed, and she couldn't ignore her curiosity anymore.

"Elijah, what happened to your neck?" She asked, breaking the silence.

Elijah stiffened, and dropped the rag in the bowl, which was now red with blood. He turned to face Victoria, a look of indecision crossing his face. _"Should I tell her? ...No, I can't trust her yet. A little white lie never hurt anyone, right? Plus, I wouldn't really be lying. I'd just be telling her part of the whole truth." _He thought, looking at Victoria.

"Let's just say...I did something wrong twice. Macavity made me pay for it. Almost cost me my life, due to the bleeding..." Elijah trailed off, tracing the scar. His sky blue eyes were filled with regret.

"Oh...I see. Sorry I asked; I didn't know it would hurt so much." Victoria apologized quickly, noticing the pained look in his eyes.

"It's alright, you couldn't have possibly known." Elijah muttered. He surveyed his work. Satisfied, he stood up and unlocked the door, letting himself out. Victoria handed him the bloody rags, wrinkling her nose up at them.

"I've gotta go, Victoria. Patrols need to be done; cats need to be kept in line, ya know. The usual. It was nice meeting a prisoner. I don't get to do that often. See ya around." Elijah said, putting the bowl down and locking the door.

"See you later, Elijah. You're the nicest henchcat I've met so far. I hope there are more around here like you." Victoria replied, smiling.

Elijah picked the bowl up and narrowed his eyes at her, frowning. "I am _not _a henchcat. I'm second-in-command. There's a difference. Unfortunately, I _am _the only nice guy around here, but don't tell anyone I said that. It'll ruin my image." He said with a hint of humor in his voice. He stalked off, making Victoria giggle at her new-found way to annoy her acquaintance.

Once he was out of sight, Victoria plopped herself down beside Misto, and started stroking his headfur. She was all alone again.

**A/N: There's your chappie with Elijah! I quite enjoyed writing this one; it gave me something new to work with. Hope you guys like it as much as I did. Review, please!:)**


	6. Smoothing Out the Kinks

Disclaimer: I'm getting tired of constantly repeating myself. _I don't own Cats!_

**A/N: If you haven't noticed, I'm taking turns switching between the Junkyard and Mac's hideout. This time it's at the Junkyard. It's short, I know, but I wanted to add a couple chappies before the big rescue scene. Enjoy!**

Munkustrap awoke to the soft calling of his name and someone shaking his shoulder. He slowly opened his eyes to find that his mate, Demeter, was trying to wake up him up.

"G'mornin' hun..." Munk yawned as he sat up and stretched. He looked over at Demeter, who had her eyes narrowed at him.

"Good morning to you, too, sleepyhead. I've been trying to wake you up for five minutes. Don't patrols need to be done? Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer to get organized? It's almost noon, for crying out loud! What did you do last night to make you sleep this long?" She asked, crossing her arms over chest.

Munk's eyes widened. "It's almost _noon_? Well what are we still sitting here for? Where are 'Jerrie and 'Teazer?" He asked, standing up and marching out of the den. Demeter followed him, easily keeping up with his long stride.

"They're at the Great Tire, waiting for you. They can't wait to get started on the rescue plan. Apparently, it's better than stealing a lamb joint from an oven, or something, they told me. I don't know, 'Jerrie and 'Teazer are really hard to understand when they're excited." Demeter explained, throwing her paws up in the air in defeat.

"...What? Alright, whatever. Can you tell Plato and Admetus to take over the patrols for me? I'm going to be busy with 'Jerrie and 'Teazer for quite a while. Thanks Dem, I'll see you in a bit." Munk instructed, splitting up and going to the Tire while Demeter nodded and loped off to find the other two toms.

Munkustrap reached his destination, and the siblings looked down at him with annoyed expressions. They hopped off, more than ready to start working on the plan.

"Well, foinally! We'd thought ya'd nevah get 'ere! What took ya so long?" Mungojerrie asked, eying his friend suspiciously.

"I overslept, guys, I'm sorry. If we're done with the formalities, then let's get to work." Munk stated, plopping himself down on the ground.

"Oi 'ad more! But you're roight, let's get ta work." 'Teazer smirked, grabbing a nearby stick and sitting down beside Munk. 'Jerrie did the same.

Rumpleteazer quickly sketched a rough outline of Macavity's hideout from memory. She circled the area where the jail cells were.

"This is where tha' cells ah'. The passage way is s'pose ta be 'ere." 'Teazer explained, drawing an arrow to the empty space behind the cells. "Oi don't know where tha' ol' execution room is, but 'Jerrie does. E's been tha' more toimes than Oi care ta remembah." She glared at her brother as she handed the stick to him.

'Jerrie made a small square at the end of the arrow 'Teazer had drawn, indicating that that was where the execution, now storage, room was. "Tha' room is 'ere. Tha' door will prob'ly be blocked boiy boxes, but tha' won't be a problem." He assumed, handing the stick back to his sister.

Munk nodded, taking in the information. "What of your entrance and escape route? If something goes wrong, do you have a Plan B?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at his friends.

"We'll sneak inta tha' alley via rooftop, so none o' Mac's goons will see us. Then, we'll drop down an' get inta tha' room. It's tha' only way in, an' out." 'Teazer drew a line coming from behind the hideout; that was the direction they were planning to take.

"When we get Misto an' Vicky, we'll come ou' tha' door an' tell them where ta go, so they'll 'ave the best chance ta get ou' safe an' sound. Whoile they're escapin', me an' 'Teazah will follow, an' if need be, create a diversion, distractin' tha' 'enchcats from foindin' out the' prisonahs ah' gone. Plan B is, is if we get caught, we'll foight." Mungojerrie finished, drawing their escape route.

He glanced at Rumpleteazer, who nodded in approval. They both smiled, and looked expectantly at Munk.

Munkustrap stayed silent for a few moments, thinking it over. He slowly nodded, confirming the plan.

"Alright, I see how it's going to work. Are you sure you'll be able to fight off Macavity's henchcats? I've never actually seen you guys fight. Can we practice?" Munk asked, standing up.

He took on a fighting stance, and 'Jerrie and 'Teazer did the same.

Rumpleteazer striked first. She lunged, aiming her fist at Munk's torso. Munk quickly blocked it, and delivered a blow to her shoulder with the heel of his palm. 'Teazer stumbled back, but quickly recovered, taking on a defensive stance again.

Munk turned his attention to 'Jerrie, and feinted to his right. 'Jerrie fell for it and quickly jumped to the left, letting his guard down. Munk saw his opportunity and kicked his friend in the ribs. 'Jerrie recoiled, hissing.

Seeing Munk distracted, 'Teazer threw another punch at him; this time she aimed for his chest. She got lucky. Her punch made contact, and Munk hunched over, unprepared for the blow.

'Teazer smirked. She had him right where she wanted him. She threw a kick at his head, but Munk ducked, recovered from the previous punch. He caught her leg as it sailed over his head, and pushed it back, much to 'Teazer's surprise. She fell flat on her back, winded.

It was 'Jerrie's turn again. He lunged, throwing punch after kick, determined wear Munk out and finish him off. Munk blocked them all with ease, except for one. He was getting tired, and a lapse in concentration was all it took.

Mungojerrie's last kick connected with his stomach, making Munk kneel over, groaning in pain. He held his hands up in surrender, and 'Jerrie backed off, smirking in victory.

"Ok, ok, so you can fight...You guys win. Great job; I underestimated you two. You're ready. Now go get some rest, and meet me at the front gate at sunset." Munk explained, still panting.

'Jerrie and 'Teazer smiled triumphantly, high-fiving each other. They helped Munk up and dusted off his coat.

"Thanks, Munk! You're an awesome foightah! Even with tha' two o' us, t'was realleh 'ard! See ya latah!" 'Teazer exclaimed as she and her brother walked off to their den. Munk nodded, waving them off.

He made his way back to his own den, exhausted. Fighting two cats at once had really taken a lot out of him. Since he underestimated their skill level, he had to work extra hard at blocking their blows. All he wanted to do now was take a nap.

Before retiring to his bed, though, he decided to write Demeter a note. If anything, he would most likely oversleep and miss his appointment with 'Jerrie and 'Teazer.

He grabbed a pencil, and scribbled his note on an old scrap of paper. It read:

_Demeter,_

_If I'm still asleep by sunset, please don't hesitate to wake me up. I need to meet Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer at the junkyard entrance at sundown, before they leave on their rescue mission._

_-Love, Munk_

Munk put the pencil down and left the note on the table, where he was sure his mate would see it. He crawled into his bed, and let sleep overtake him. He drifted off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

**A/N: Yes, we got to see Munk fight! And 'Jerrie and 'Teazer, too! I bet you're probably wondering, "Why did Munk give up so easily?" Answer: he was just practicing. Plus, as mentioned above, he underestimated them. Did you catch my reference to 'Jerrie and 'Teazer's song? If you didn't, go back and look for it! Anyways, hoped you liked it, this was my first ever sparring scene, so I hope I did well! Oh, by the way, the next chappie's going to have a surprise! It has something to do with Elijah. It's-! Oh, wait, I can't tell you, it would ruin the surprise! Haha, I'm so cheesy! Review, please!;)  
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	7. Secrets of the Past

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats, but I do own Elijah, my OC.

**A/N: Warning: this chapter has content that may not be suitable for some readers. I'm serious this time. The title is self-explanatory, and if you remember from last chappie, I promised you guys a surprise that had to do with Elijah. Put two and two together and...You get a back story! Hooray! Sorry this one took so long, I've been busy with homework and stuff. I really hate to keep my readers waiting, I know how it feels. :( Anyway, enjoy!**

Victoria paced the perimeter of her cell, looking for some sort of escape. With Elijah gone, and the jail warden on break, she couldn't draw any attention.

"_There has to be something...There always is! Isn't there some door they feed prisoners through? Maybe I could get Misto to...Wait, no, that won't work; he's still too weak. He can't even wake up, let alone use magic..." _Victoria thought as she scanned the cell for what seemed like the hundredth time. She sighed in frustration.

"_It hopeless! We're never getting out of here!"_She stomped her foot, letting out another aggravated sigh. Just as she was about to give up entirely, she noticed Misto stir. With her attention now on Misto, she momentarily forgot about their hopeless situation, and loped over to him, giddy with anticipation.

"Misto? Misto, can you hear me?" Victoria asked as she knelt down beside him. His ears pricked towards her at the sound of her voice, and she smiled even more.

Next thing she knew, his eyes were open and he was looking at her, half-smiling. Victoria nuzzled his neck, happily purring. She couldn't have been more content.

"Hey, Vic...Where are we? I don't recognize the place." Misto muttered as he tried to lift his head. His back protested, and he winced, putting his head back down.

Victoria looked away with sadness in her eyes. "We're in Macavity's hideout, Misto. We're his hostages. I only hope we can come out of here alive." She whispered.

Misto's eyes widened. "_Macavity's _hideout? What on Earth would he want with us? Wait, you said hostages, right?" Victoria nodded in response. The corners of Misto's lips twitched, as if he just realized something ironic about the whole situation.

"What? Is something funny? What's that look on your face for?" Victoria asked, cocking her head.

"If we're his hostages, then he can't touch us until he gets what he wants, right? So we've got nothing to worry about...For now. What _does_ my father want, by the way? I didn't pay much attention after my back got sliced open, no thanks to the henchcats." Misto explained, still smirking.

His queenfriend took on a worried expression. "Does your back still hurt a lot? Elijah cleaned your wounds, but I can tell you're still in a lot of pain. Do you want me to tell him to change the bandages the next time he comes around?" Victoria asked, forgetting that Misto had no idea who she was talking about.

"Ya, my back is constantly throbbing, but I think I'll manage. It doesn't sting, so that's a good sign that it's not infected. Anyway, who's Elijah? The doctor of this place?" Misto asked, raising an eyebrow. He put his arms under him and tried to push himself up, gritting his teeth against the pain.

"Elijah's not-Misto, what are you doing? You're going to hurt yourself even more! Lie back down!" Victoria hissed, nervous about his reckless behavior. She didn't interfere, though, as she thought that would probably do him more harm than good.

Misto ignored her advice. He slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, still wincing every now and then. "See? I'm alright. I need to test my limits, or I'll never recover completely." He said, throwing his queenfriend a cocky smile.

Victoria rolled her eyes, but returned the smile. "Whatever you say, _Mr._Mistofelees. Just don't scare me like that again. Now as I was saying, Elijah's not the doctor, or healer, as they say here. He's second-in-command. The healer didn't do such a good job, so he fixed you up instead." She explained, chuckling at the memory of Elijah's "lesson".

Misto stared at her, dumbstruck. After a few moments of gathering his thoughts, he broke the silence. "Vic, are you _crazy?_ You let Macavity's second-in-command come in here? Do you know what he could have done to you? _Did_ he do anything to you? If he did, I swear-"He didn't get to finish his rant, as his queenfriend interrupted him.

"Stop, Misto. Elijah's not a bad tom. He took great care of you, and me, too. He's really nice, for a henchcat. All he did was talk and try to offer me some comfort. If it wasn't for him, I would be a nervous wreck, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be here right now." Victoria finished, folding her arms across her chest and pouting for emphasis.

"Yes, cut me some slack. I didn't do anything to harm Victoria, and I never will." Elijah himself was standing outside the cell, holding two bowls of water. He put them down and let himself in, picking the bowls up again as he kicked the cell door shut behind him. He put the bowls down in front of the two cats, and locked the door.

"I thought you guys might be thirsty. I see your back is better, Misto. How are you feeling? If you're nauseous, lightheaded, or dizzy, just let me know. I can get you some meds if you need them." Elijah offered, sitting down in front of the pair.

Misto looked Elijah up and down with a critical eye, as if evaluating him. "I'm fine, thanks." He said in a flat voice.

Elijah shrugged turned his attention to Victoria, who was grinning at him. "Well, at least someone's happy to see me. How have you been doing?" He asked cocking his head at Victoria.

"I'm doing great, Elijah. What have you been up to? I'm sure being second-in-command keeps you on your toes!" She replied, a little too enthusiastically for Misto's liking.

"Oh, you know, same old, same old. I really can't tell you much about what I do, as I've been sworn to secrecy. I've just been keeping an eye on the place while ol' Mac plots his day away. So, uhh, nothing really." He explained while playing with his thumbs.

Suddenly, something caught Elijah's attention, and he snapped his head toward the door. He held up a paw, signaling for quiet. Misto and Victoria kept silent, but they didn't hear anything.

Victoria couldn't help but catch sight of his scar again as it showed itself whenever Elijah turned his head to the right. She felt her heart sink a bit with pity as she thought how much it had hurt him.

As soon as her reverie came, though, it was gone as Elijah jumped up and hurriedly unlocked the door. He didn't stop to explain what he was doing as he locked it again and stalked off with his ears pinned flat against his head.

"What was that all about...?" Misto pondered aloud. His question was soon answered as they both heard a pained yowl and a dull _thud_. Victoria winced as she guessed what it was. She didn't have time to feel sorry for the unlucky cat that made Elijah angry because the corridor was filled with loud shouting not long after the thud.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Well? Answer me!" The pair heard Elijah shout at an unknown cat.

"I'm jus' havin' some fun, ya know what I mean? Jail duty has its perks. _You, _o' all cats, should know _that_." Victoria recognized the tom's squeaky, cocky voice as Remmy's.

Misto looked intrigued, as if he was just let in on an important secret on that last sentence.

Victoria furrowed her eyebrows in thought, wondering what Remmy could have possibly brought up about Elijah's past.

Whatever it was, it only made Elijah angrier. Misto and Victoria heard another thud, but it was louder this time. A quiet hiss followed, that most likely came from Remmy.

"I'll have you know that talking like that to your boss gets you killed around here. But since I'm such a nice cat, I won't kill you. Instead, you'll just pay for your behavior towards me and Nadia with your blood." They heard Elijah hiss in a dark voice.

The heard Remmy cry out in pain as Elijah slashed him across the face. Victoria whimpered and darted to Misto, burying her head in his chest. Misto wrapped his arms around her, and stroked her back in an effort to comfort her. He knew how compassionate she was toward other cats, and he knew this made her feel frightened, more than anything. She whimpered and tensed up every time she heard Remmy scream in agony.

When it was finally over, Victoria was near tears and Misto was pretty angry himself at Elijah for putting his queenfriend through that. Elijah came back, looking apologetic. Blood glistened on his paws and smeared his keys as he unlocked the door.

He looked up at the pair huddled together and his shoulders drooped. "I'm sorry I scared you guys. This is just what happens when you don't follow orders around here. I try to protect the queens as best as I can from toms like Remmy. I hate it when the toms try to rape them; it makes me want to cut their throats. I didn't do that to Remmy, though, I just tossed him around a bit; gave him a few scratches." He sat down by the bars and started licking his paws, cleaning them of blood.

Misto stared coldly at him, while Victoria relaxed and looked over her shoulder with an uncertain expression. Misto broke the heavy silence that fell upon the cell. "That's understandable. You can expect some scary things to happen in the worst place in London. What I don't understand is why do you even bother protecting the queens around here? I don't mean to be rude, but aren't these queens..." He trailed off, not wanting to continue.

Elijah caught on and finished his sentence for him. "Doxies? No, I'm afraid that's a common mistake cats make about the queens that live here. It's not their fault the toms use them as doxies; that's just what happens when queens are around testosterone-crazed toms with no one to protect them. I'd let them go, but I'd get killed if I did. So I try to protect them as best as I can to make up for that. If I catch a tom "having fun" with a queen, as Remmy put it, I don't hesitate to beat the crap out of him." He finished, continuing to lick his paws.

"I think it's nice that you protect the queens. It makes me feel better about being stuck here. But I've been wondering, what did Remmy mean when he said "you of all cats should know that jail duty has its perks"? You were never like Remmy, were you? You're too kind." Victoria asked in a quiet voice, wondering if she was out on thin ice now.

Even from the other end of the cell, she could see Elijah tense up, and she felt sorry that she had asked such a personal question.

Elijah let out a sigh and relaxed a bit. "To help you understand what Remmy meant, I might as well start at the beginning. I grew up on the street, like most toms around here. I have no brothers or sisters, as they all died of either disease or a car accident. Or other cats. My parents died when I was a kitten, trying to protect me from getting killed by other street cats. I was alone. My only defenses were to get tough and strong, fast; and to stand my ground, no matter how scared I was. It wasn't long before I had become a respected street cat, able to beat up any cat that got in my way. For a while, everything was great. I had my own posse, despite my young age. I was like the Al Capone of street cats, if you will." He paused and looked up from his paws, waiting for the words to sink in.

Misto and Victoria nodded, prompting him to continue.

Elijah resumed his story. "I had one problem, though. I was too nice. I couldn't bear to see a cat killed by my paws, so I always let one of my posse do it. It was kind of like an inside joke, that I was too chicken to kill a cat. They nicknamed me "Mr. Nice Guy" and taunted me behind my back every now and then. Angry with myself and my too-nice personality, I decided to earn their respect in a different way. I became a playboy. It was hard at first, but with my charm and good looks, I soon had mastered the art of seduction. I didn't care which queen it was, as long as she was my age and pretty. I took advantage of them, and in the worst way. Soon, I had a reputation for that, too. It wasn't long before Macavity recognized my talents and recruited me to join his ranks. I brought my "bad habits" with me, and whenever I was bored and stuck with jail duty, I had no problem just letting myself in one of the queens' cells and seducing her, whether she liked it or not." He stopped again, and smirked as a disgusted look crossed Misto's face. Victoria just stared at him, appalled.

He didn't bother waiting for their confirmation. "It wasn't long, though, before Macavity himself caught wind of my actions. He was furious that I was taking advantage of_ his_ queens, and leaving them in a sad state. He told me that, even though my actions were accepted up until a certain point, if I went past that point I would be hurting his queens instead of seducing them. To make sure I didn't forget his lesson, he gave me this scar. Because of his magic, the scar never goes away and brings back the feelings of the agony, sorrow, and fear I caused every queen I went too far with every time I touch it. And that was a lot of queens. My nice personality came back to me eventually, and I earned my place among the toms, becoming second-in-command. Now I protect the queens and offer comfort to them when they ask for it." Elijah looked up at the pair, expecting to be shunned because of his past.

Instead, Victoria hesitantly crawled up to him and hugged him. He stiffened at the uncommon gesture of kindness, but quickly relaxed and returned the hug. "You've had a tough life, Elijah. But you were strong enough not to forget who you were, even after all the horrible things that happened to you. You still are. Please don't ever forget that." She whispered. She gave him a friendly nuzzle, and crawled back to her place beside Misto.

Misto nodded politely, no longer skeptical of Elijah.

Elijah gave a genuine smile. "Thanks, Victoria. I promise I won't forget. Now if you'll excuse me, I have patrols to do. See you guys later." He stood up and let himself out, locking the door behind him.

Victoria and Misto nuzzled each other, happy that they had helped another cat. They soon felt alone again, missing Elijah's comforting presence.

Misto's mind went back to the happier times he had spent in the Junkyard, and he wondered if his friends were planning to rescue him, or if they assumed that he and Victoria were already dead.

**A/N: Personally, I loved writing this chapter. It's my favourite! And longest, too, so far! Hope you guys liked it!**


	8. The Rescue

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats.

**A/N: This is the chappie you've all been waiting for! Vicky and Misto finally get rescued! Sorry it took so long, but I wrote an extra-long chapter to make up for it. Enjoy, and don't forget to R and R!:)**

"_What is that incessant scratching...?"_ Mistofelees wondered as he awoke from his restless nap. It had been at least a day since he and Victoria were captured, though it was hard to tell because there were no windows in this part of Macavity's hideout, so they couldn't see the sun.

Giving up on getting anymore sleep; he turned his head toward the scratching noise. His eyebrow rose as he saw Victoria running her claws down the concrete wall, as if digging for something.

"Victoria, what in _Heaviside_ are you doing? Trying to file your claws on concrete?" Misto asked sarcastically, slowly pushing himself up into a sitting position. His back still throbbed something terrible, but he had gotten used to it. He just had to remember to move slowly, so as not to hurt himself.

Victoria scowled at him, clearly not impressed with his joke. She stopped scratching the wall and turned towards him. "I'm _trying _to get us out of here. I think I found something, because there's this weird pattern of old and new concrete over here. Come, have a look yourself. Can you manage?" She asked, now concerned.

Misto nodded and attempted to stand up. He succeeded, and carefully stepped towards her, wobbling every few steps. He looked closely at the part of the wall where she had scratched, finding that indeed there was a strange pattern of older, lighter concrete next to darker, newer concrete.

He took a few steps back to get a better view of this strange pattern of old concrete mottled with new concrete. Victoria did the same. They both gasped as they realized what they had discovered. The seemingly abstract pattern wasn't a pattern at all! The darker concrete formed the shape of a door! Though small, it was a door nonetheless. It was also their way out.

Victoria and Misto smiled at each other. Victoria gave a high-pitched squeal and threw her arms around Misto's neck in happiness. He stumbled back at the unexpected impact, but caught himself before they both fell.

"We found a way out! I can't believe it! Now, if only we could open this door..." Victoria broke their embrace, and inspected the small door. She slid her paws down the length of the little door, feeling for any sort of handle or place she could pry her claws into.

Finding a tiny, unnatural-looking crevice in the wall, she dug her claws into it and pulled. She pulled as hard as she could, but only ended up with having her claws slip, causing her to tumble backwards and onto her back.

"Oww...That hurt..." Victoria groaned, sitting up and rubbing the back of her head. Misto hurriedly knelt down beside her and checked her head over. She pushed herself away and frowned at him. "Misto, I'm alright! Sheesh, I'm not a kitten anymore. I can take a little pain." Shaking her head, she looked hopefully at the door, but was disappointed. It hadn't budged an inch.

"Sorry, Vic, sometimes I can't help myself. You know how protective I can get." Misto apologized, suddenly finding the dirty ground much more interesting. His face lit up as he suddenly got an idea. "What if we try pushing it? Maybe that'll work?" He stood up and put his paws and shoulder against the door, waiting for Victoria to do the same.

Instead, she stood up and put her paws on her hips. "I am not letting you injure yourself more than you already have. Sorry, Misto, but you're not strong enough yet. I'll try, but you watch." Victoria shooed Misto away from the door and took his previous position. She braced her shoulder against the door, and pushed. Misto rolled his eyes and took a seat on the floor, a little distance away.

From his place on the ground, Misto noticed that her legs were starting to shake from the exertion she was putting her body through. "Vic?" He asked, getting worried. She didn't listen, and kept pushing the door. "Victoria, stop!" He tried again, raising his voice a bit. She ignored him a second time; she was too determined to get out of here. "For Bast's sake, you're going to hurt yourself! Stop!"Misto nearly shouted.

This time, Victoria listened, and crumpled to the ground on all fours, panting heavily. Forgetting his own pain, Misto raced to her side and gently put a hand on her back. "Vic? You okay?" He asked, giving her some space. She nodded, rubbing her shoulder. A purple bruise was forming there, and her paws were red.

"Remind me to never do that again. Did the door move at all?" She asked and looked over her shoulder at the wall. Her face fell. Once again, the door hadn't moved at all.

Disappointed, she crawled over to one of the bowls of water Elijah had left and began lapping up the water. With nothing else to do after she finished, she decided to take a nap. She curled up at Misto's feet and patted the empty space beside her.

Obliging, he lay down and wrapped his arm around her, but he didn't go to sleep. The throbbing pain in his back prevented him from getting into a comfortable enough position to do so. Sighing, he stared up at the black, concrete ceiling.

He imagined himself back at the Junkyard, star-gazing with Victoria. They used to do that so often, but it felt like a lifetime ago. Everything that happened at home felt like a lifetime ago, even the argument that had gotten them into this mess.

A sense of guilt and sadness came over Misto. It was as if a heavy burden had just been placed on his chest, and it was weighing him down. Looking down at his queenfriend, he gently nudged her awake.

"Hmm...? What is it Misto?" Victoria mumbled, yawning. She craned her neck to look up at him.

"I'm...sorry, Victoria." Misto replied, averting his eyes. He was too guilt-ridden to look at her.

She furrowed her eyebrows, a look of confusion spreading across her face. "Sorry? For what?" She asked, having no clue as to why he was apologizing to her.

"I'm sorry for getting us into this mess. I should have had better control over my emotions. If I didn't storm off, we would have never gotten into this hellhole in the first place." Misto sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It's not your fault as much as it is mine. I overreacted, and didn't listen. After I heard what happened, I just felt so _betrayed_. I thought you cheated on me! When you came back, I was beyond angry, and thinking anything through was thrown out the window. As soon as Jemima heard that you left, she came running to me and explained the whole thing. She feels _terrible_, Misto. She wanted to apologize to you too, but you stormed off before she could get the chance." Victoria explained, her eyes full of understanding.

Misto smiled. That crushing weight on his chest was gone. "So we're both sorry. Let's agree to hear each other out next time we fight about something, ok?" He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers. A few moments passed, and he pulled away, still smiling.

"Agreed. Now let's get some sleep." Victoria lay her head back down and closed her eyes, grinning. Misto did the same, and let sleep overtake him. Not even the pain in his back could ruin this blissful moment.

After what seemed like a few seconds, but was more likely a few hours, Victoria woke to the sound of hissing._ "Or is it whispering? What's going on?"_ She wondered as she opened her eyes.

A calico face was staring back at her, smiling. Victoria gave a start and tried to scream, but the calico put a paw over her mouth.

"Shhh! It's me, Rumpleteazah! Calm down!" Rumpleteazer whispered harshly as she removed her paw and Victoria sighed in relief.

"How did you get in here? This is Macavity's hideout, for crying out loud! You couldn't have just waltz in here and stolen a set of keys!" Victoria whispered, looking around for Misto. She found Mungojerrie helping him up.

He rolled his eyes at her, as if she just asked a stupid question. "We used ta work fo' Macavity, remembah? We know this place insoide an' out! Didja know tha' there's a secret passage tha' leads ta tha' outsoide? C'mon! Let's ge' movin'! Oi think one o' Mac's 'enchcats moight o' seen us on ah' way in." Mungojerrie answered, helping Misto to the little door that he and Victoria had discovered earlier. Somehow, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer had managed to open it.

Victoria stood up and stared at the door in disbelief. "But...But-"She didn't finish her sentence because they all heard quickened footsteps coming from down the corridor, and they were getting closer.

Rumpleteazer pulled her towards the door and they both ducked as they entered the pitch-black passageway. She pulled her to the right, and Mungojerrie and Misto followed.

The race was on.

* * *

><p>"Elijah, sir!" A small, dark brown tom saluted Elijah as he was walking out of his room.<p>

"What is it? Something wrong?"Elijah returned the salute and looked down at the tom. He looked almost black in the minimal light. _"Now I know why he was chosen as sentry..."_He thought.

"A suspicious pair of calico cats were spotted down by the South wall not five minutes ago. I think one was male and one was female, but I couldn't have been sure. They were sneaking around, looking for something. What should we do?" The sentry asked, awaiting orders.

Elijah smacked his forehead with his palm. _"Sometimes...I just want to punch these toms in the face for being so dim-witted."_ He thought to himself. "Sound the alarm, you idiot. I'll inform Macavity." He ordered, while stalking off down the jail hall towards his boss's office.

While he was jogging down the corridor, he took a peek into cell 237. Surprisingly, a part of the wall had been pushed out, and Misto and Victoria were nowhere to be found. A part of him wanted to go in there and follow them, but he knew he had a duty to his boss. The alarm went off, spurring him to keep on going.

As he was rounding the corner, he almost crashed right into said tom. Macavity leered down at him, expecting to hear why the alarm had sounded. "What's going on, Elijah?" He asked in a calm tone, not taking his eyes off him.

"We had a report of two suspicious cats sneaking around the building, sir. It also seems that our two hostages have escaped...No doubt with the help of those cats." Elijah replied, afraid to look at his leader.

It was common to hear Macavity shout. It was rare to actually see him angry. Macavity was furious right now. "They _what_? Why didn't anyone attack those cats before they got in? _How_ did they even get in?" Someone infiltrating his hideout was bad enough. Hearing that two of his prisoners had managed to escape sent him over the edge.

"The sentry told me they were last seen by the South wall. One was a male and the other was a female, apparently. It seems they found a way into the hostages' cell by a small door of some sort. No one guards that area because of the, uhh, bones...sir. There's no trace of them or the hostages." Elijah explained, grimacing as he saw Macavity's paws shaking even more.

"Those incompetent bastards!" Macavity cursed, clenching his paws into fists. He focused on Elijah again, and his face took on a thoughtful expression. "Did the sentry give you a description?" He asked, calming down a bit.

"Yes, sir. He said they were calico." Elijah affirmed.

Macavity let out a hiss. "I know exactly who they are. They used to work for me, before they quit and sided with those Jellicles. But, you-"he stared Elijah down, "were supposed to be guarding the hostages! You let them escape! You know what happens to the toms that don't do their jobs, don't you?" He raised his paw and struck Elijah across the face, sending him stumbling backwards.

He didn't bother fighting back. He knew he deserved it. He had let his guard down, and now he was paying the price. With every strike Macavity gave him, Elijah was forced back, until they were about halfway down the corridor. By this time, Elijah was on all fours, gasping for breath and trembling from the pain. Blood was splattered all over the floor from his multiple gashes.

Macavity kicked him down, smirking. Despite the circumstances, he was enjoying himself. He bent down and picked Elijah up by his neck, and carried him down the hall to a door marked "emergency exit". He kicked the door open and threw Elijah out, like he was nothing more than trash. Elijah hit the brick wall opposite the door hard, and collapsed on the ground.

* * *

><p>Everything was going great. Misto, Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer, and Victoria had made it out of the building safe and sound. All that was left to do was run for it, and avoid getting caught.<p>

An alarm was heard from inside the building. Rumpleteazer winced, and quickened her steps. "Looks loike they found ou' wha' 'appened! Let's keep movin'!" She motioned for her friends to hurry up.

They rounded the corner, and heard a door open not twenty feet away. "Freeze!" Mungojerrie hissed, and the four stood stock-still.

A black tom was thrown out of the door and into the brick wall of the building parallel to it. Misto winced as the tom hit the wall, and crumpled to the ground. The door was slammed shut, and everything was silent again, except for the faint sound of the alarm.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Victoria sniffed the air and let out a quiet gasp. She loped over to the tom before anyone could stop her. "Victoria, no! Ge' back 'ere!" Rumpleteazer whispered, but was too slow to stop her.

Victoria knelt down beside the tom, and shook his shoulder. "Elijah! Elijah! Can you hear me? Wake up!" She laid her paw on his neck, checking his pulse.

Her three friends crept up to her. Misto recognized him, but stayed back. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer tried to pull Victoria away, but she wouldn't budge. "C'mon, Vicky! We 'ave ta ge' out o' 'ere! This 'enchcat's not important!" Mungojerrie tried to convince his friend to keep going.

Misto stepped in. "Yes, he is. He saved both my life and Victoria's. The least we can do is save his. 'Jerrie, do you think you can carry him to the Junkyard?" He looked expectantly at his calico friend.

Mungojerrie sighed in exasperation. "Foine, as long as it gets us ou' o' 'ere! Oi'll carreh 'im, Vicky, don't ya worreh." He pricked his ears towards the warehouse, hearing faint shouting and footsteps getting closer. "Oi think Oi 'ear those 'enchcats. Let's go!" He bent down and hoisted Elijah over his shoulder, and started running. His friends followed without hesitation.

Amazingly enough, the four of them didn't get caught. The henchcats were on their tails, but they soon got tired out. They gave up chasing them, while the four kept running. They made it to the Junkyard without a hitch.

As they neared the Junkyard entrance, Victoria dared to look over her shoulder. Not a soul was following them. She slowed down as she and her friends finally made it back home. They were all exhausted, and Mungojerrie could barely hold Elijah up.

Walking into the Junkyard, they were soon greeted by Munk and the other cats. Munk eyed Elijah suspiciously, but let him be. Glad and relieved that their friends were safe, the cats slowly dispersed and Jenny and Jelly lead their newly arrived friends to their dens to be treated for injuries, starting with Mungojerrie and Misto.

Victoria and Rumpleteazer sat outside Jenny's den, waiting for their turn. They exchanged smiles, happy to be back home.

"Say, 'Teazer, how did you get into Macavity's hideout without being caught? I know you used that passageway, but how did you know it was there?" Victoria asked, glancing at her friend.

Rumpleteazer smirked mischievously. "Me an' 'Jerrie used ta work fo' Mac', remembah? When Mac' was still executin' 'is prisonahs, we used tha' passageway ta get them ta tha' execution room. 'Jerrie was usualleh tha' one who used tha' passage, an' 'e told me 'bout it latah...When Mac' stopped usin' it, and blocked those doors in tha' cells, evreyone fo'got 'bout it pretty quickly, 'cept 'Jerrie an' Oi." She explained, reminiscing about her days working for the Hidden Paw.

Victoria nodded, and it was 'Teazer's turn to ask the questions. "Boi tha' way, who's tha' black tom we saved? Whoiy were ya so keen on takin' 'im with us? Misto said 'e saved both ya loives, but 'ow? 'E's one o' Mac's 'enchcats! Whoiy would 'e 'elp you?" She asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

Victoria leaned back onto the wall of Jenny's den. "His name is Elijah, and he's not a henchcat. He's Macavity's second-in-command. He treated Misto's injuries when the doctor of that horrid place didn't, and he kept us both sane by talking to us. As for why I wanted to take him with us, I felt that it was only fair. He was hurt, and he needed us. I did what I thought was right." Victoria explained, glancing at her friend.

'Teazer looked as if she was in a trance. "Eloijah...? Eloijah...Oi can't believe you're still aloive..." She whispered, staring past Victoria, still in a trance-like state. After a few moments, she shook her head frantically, coming out of her reverie.

Victoria looked at her with a confused expression. "You knew him? Why would he not be alive? What happened between you and him, 'Teazer?" She asked, scratching her head. Elijah didn't tell her or Misto that he knew Rumpleteazer.

"We were realleh close. Ya could even say Oi loved 'im, but Macavity 'as strict rules when it comes ta intimate relationships 'tween co-workahs. When me an' 'Jerrie quit, Oi 'eard some rumahs tha' Eloijah went missin'...Oi thought 'e was dead, an' Oi was sad fo' a lil' whoile, but Oi moved on. Now 'ere we ah', with Eloijah in ah' own 'ome. Do ya think 'e'll remembah me?" 'Teazer asked, looking hopeful.

Just then, Jenny and Misto came out of Jenny's den. "You'll be fine, Misto. Just don't strain your back. Be careful, now!" Jenny advised, and motioned for 'Teazer to come in.

'Teazer nodded and stood up, following her inside. Misto sat down beside his queenfriend, smiling. "I got a clean bill of health. Do you want to stay with me for the night? I don't feel safe leaving you alone when Macavity's henchcats could be on the prowl." He asked, motioning his paw towards his den.

Victoria giggled at his chivalry. "I can take care of myself, Misto, but I'll take you up on your offer. I just want to hear how Elijah's doing first. He was in pretty bad shape, you know." She stood up and walked over to Jelly's den, while 'Jerrie was just leaving. Misto followed.

'Jerrie had a worried look on his face. "Vicky? Oi 'eard ya talkin' 'bout Eloijah. Jelly's doin' tha' best she can, but e's not lookin' too good. We'll 'ave ta wait 'till tomorrah. Oh, an' Jenny told me ya don't need ta be checked. She said ya look okay." He explained, shuffling off to his den.

Misto put a hand on his queenfriend's shoulder, and guided her towards his own den. "The only thing we can do is hope that Elijah will be alright, Vic. We have to trust that Jelly will do her best. Come on, we've had a tough day. Let's get some rest."

She nodded, still downcast. Misto lead her inside and curled up with her in his bed of blankets, falling asleep almost immediately. Victoria lay awake, hoping; praying that her new friend would pull through.


	9. Reunion

Disclaimer: I think I've stated at least 7 different ways that I don't own Cats. Wait, make that 8.

**A/N: Sorry this one took so long, my flow of ideas is running dry on me. I'd like to thank everyone who kept up with the story so far! Thank you all so so much! This chappie mainly focuses on Rumpleteazer and Elijah, just a heads-up. Don't forget to R and R!**

It's been two days since Mistofelees and Victoria came home...Two days since Rumpleteazer saw her former tomfriend for the first time in years. Despite the joy of having her friends back safe and sound, Rumpleteazer couldn't help but worry about Elijah. He was all she ever thought about ever since she saw him get unceremoniously thrown out of Macavity's hideout.

She wasn't the only one. Victoria and Misto were worried, too. 'Teazer could tell just by the way their eyes looked. They were full of hope, but also of sadness as well.

Life still went on as usual, though. The sky was clear, the sun was shining, and the symphonies of birds were singing their cheerful songs. The adult cats still went about their daily routines, and the kittens played their games to no end. Jenny and Jelly had their hands full with Elijah, so the kittens were told to be extra careful while playing to avoid any unnecessary cuts or scrapes.

'Teazer sighed as she sat atop the Great Tire with Mungojerrie. Watching Pounce and Tumble play-fight didn't lift her spirits as it usually did. Not even when Tumble sneaked up on Pounce and pulled his tail did it so much as make her crack a smile.

Mungojerrie nudged his downcast sister with his elbow. "Still worr'ed 'bout Eloijah, huh? 'E'll be awlroight, 'Teazah, 'e's a tough cat. Worreyin' won't make 'im 'eal any fastah. C'mon, let's catch us some breakfast!"Before she had a chance to answer, he pulled her off the tire and towards their favourite hunting spot.

Knowing she couldn't get out of this one, 'Teazer followed her brother to one of the more remote clearings on the other side of the Junkyard. The piles around this clearing were smaller than most of the other ones, and that just made it all the better for rodent hunting.

Letting her instincts take over, Rumpleteazer got her game face on, as did her brother. Next to stealing, hunting was the next-best thing to cheer her up. She sniffed the air for any signs of rats or mice. Catching the faint, but pungent smell of rat, she silently stalked up to one of the old, discarded tires at the bottom of a pile and swiped it aside. Quick as lightning, she snatched her prey up and ate it before it could so much as squeak.

'Teazer glanced over at her brother who was also finishing up an unlucky rat. He smiled, with part of the rat's tail still visible between his teeth. 'Teazer chuckled at the sight.

"Whot's so funneh?" 'Jerrie asked, cocking his head.

"You 'ah! Finish ya food beyfore ya talk, 'Jerrie!" 'Teazer giggled, still finding her brother's lack of manners funny after all these years. It never failed to make her laugh.

"Oh, roight. Sorreh. Do ya feel bettah now?"He asked as he picked the bit of tail out from his teeth with his claw.

His sister nodded. A good meal could make anyone feel better. In spite of his best efforts, though, she still felt the anxiety plaguing her in the back of her mind. 'Teazer shook her head. "_Oi 'ave ta foind somethin' else ta keep moi moind off o' 'im...But whot?"_She thought as she looked around for something else to do.

The sun told her it was almost noon. It was the perfect time for sunning, as most of the adults would be off catching lunch and the kittens would all be napping. 'Teazer desperately needed a bit of relaxation time after all the stress that's been going through her head.

"Oi know whot we can do. Let's sun whoile tha' Great Tirah's unoccupoied. C'mon!"She scampered off in the direction of the Tire while 'Jerrie followed not far behind.

With the Tire in sight, 'Teazer realized she was right. Not a soul was near, or on, it. She nimbly hopped onto it and took a seat. Rolling onto her back, she stretched her arms and legs out and closed her eyes. She concentrated on letting her mind go blank. She didn't even notice when her brother jumped onto the Tire and lay down beside her.

After what seemed like a few minutes, 'Teazer found herself being shaken awake. She cracked an eye open to find 'Jerrie shaking her shoulder, smiling at her. She opened both eyes fully to find that the sun was setting.

Jolting upright, she threw a concerned look at her brother. "Whot's goin' on, 'Jer? 'Ow long was Oi asleep?"She asked, glancing around herself.

"Ya were asleep since noon! Ya sleep loike a rock, sis'! You'll nevah guess whot 'appened! ...Whotevah, jus' guess!"'Jerrie could hardly contain his excitement.

'Teazer scratched her head. Her mind instantly flew right back to Elijah. "Is Eloijah awake?"She asked, daring to keep her hopes up.

Mungojerrie looked slightly shocked. "Ow'd ya guess? Jelley said we can see 'im, but we 'ave ta be realleh quiet. She said 'e's still...sensitive, Oi think is whot she told me."He jumped off the Tire, and waited for his sister to follow him.

"_Eloijah's...awake?"_She couldn't believe her ears. All the anxiety and stress she had been feeling earlier dissipated into thin air as she slid off the Tire and followed her brother to Jelly's den.

When they got to their destination, the first thing 'Teazer noticed was the powerful stench of blood. She wrinkled her nose up at it, and so did 'Jerrie. He knocked on the entrance wall and they both stepped inside.

Jelly greeted them with a polite nod and motioned her paw towards a corner of the den. As she and 'Jerrie stepped quietly towards it, 'Teazer noticed a small basket of bloody bandages sitting on Jelly's table. She didn't have time to grimace at it because the black tom lying on a cot in the corner caught her eye. 'Teazer quickened her pace and crouched down beside the tom.

"Eloijah, can ya 'ear me?" She whispered, hoping to get a response. She ever so gently nudged his shoulder with her paw.

At the contact, his sky blue eyes suddenly shot open, and he shrunk away from her paw, or tried to. He glanced about frantically, as if he had just woken up from a terrible nightmare. His eyes finally rested on the queen beside him, and he stared blankly at her.

'Teazer stared back, but her eyes were full of hope. "_Eloijah, ya know me! Please say ya recognoize me! It 'asn't been tha' long, 'as it?"_She pleaded inside her head.

It took Elijah a few moments before the memories hit him. "Rumpleteazer...? Is that really you?"He whispered hoarsely, coughing a few times before clearing his throat. "Or am I dreaming?"He added with a small smirk.

'Teazer giggled, and shook her head. "No, Oi'm real. Oi didn't think ya'd remembah me...or tha' Oi'd evah see ya again, after Oi 'eard ya were dead."Her face fell for a moment, as she remembered how heartbroken she was after she heard the rumor.

Elijah's brow furrowed in confusion. "I'm not dead, as you can plainly see. I almost was...quite a few times actually, but I'm still alive. Did you believe the rumors the guys spread around again? Why did you think I was dead? 'Jerrie, is your sister still as gullible as she was when she still worked for ol' Mac'?"He asked, tilting his chin up at Mungojerrie, who was standing behind his sister.

He put his paws up in surrender, and nodded his head. "Fo' tha' record, Oi thought ya were dead, too. T'was a pre'ey convincin' storey, though. Ya got on Mac's bad soide an' 'e 'ad no problem slittin' ya throat. Not tha' 'ardest thin' in tha' world ta do... An', yes, she still is verey gullible, aren't ya sis'?"He smirked, gently nudging her with his knee in her back for emphasis.

'Teazer narrowed her eyes up at her brother and elbowed him hard in the shin, earning a quiet hiss from him. Victorious, she smirked and turned her attention back to the tom in front of her.

Elijah groaned, rolling his eyes. "Oh, 'Teazer, you know you shouldn't believe _anything_ you hear from those toms! Didn't I tell you that at least a hundred times? Anyway, it doesn't matter now. I'm here, and I don't intend to die anytime soon."He stated in a flat, sarcastic voice. He winced as he propped himself up onto his elbows.

"That's great, 'Loijah. 'Ow ah' ya feelin'? Whot did ya do ta get beat up so bad, any'ow? When me, 'Jerrie, Misto, an' Vicky found ya, ya looked as good as dead ta us..."'Teazer trailed off, taking in the numerous healing cuts on his face, chest, and arms for the first time.

"I got all these because of you guys. When you snuck into the hideout, Mac' was mad. When I told him you guys snuck in_ and _rescued Misto and Victoria, he was downright furious. He took it out on me."Elijah explained, chuckling mirthlessly. "Hey, where are Misto and Victoria, by the way? I think they'd be happy to know I'm awake, don't you think?"He continued, cocking his head at 'Teazer. She was still staring at him.

He snapped his fingers in front of her face, and she gave a start. Realizing she was staring at more than just his cuts, she quickly looked away. Elijah smirked as he noticed her cheeks turn pink, but he was too modest to comment.

Mungojerrie raised an eyebrow and shook his head, sniggering quietly. He stepped out of the den to go get his friends.

Excluding Jelly, who was watching them from the other side of the den to monitor Elijah's condition, Elijah and 'Teazer were now left to themselves.

An awkward silence ensued. After a few moments, Elijah broke it. "Did you ever regret leaving the hideout? I mean, is the life you have now better?"He asked with genuine curiosity.

'Teazer's head shot up at the sound of his voice. "Oi don't regret moi decision at awll. Loife with tha' Jellicles is so much more peaceful...It's realleh bettah in evrey way. Oi left an' Oi nevah looked back. Oi didn't want ta. 'Ow's loife back at Macavitey's? Still doin' jail duty with Remmey?"'Teazer asked, remembering the days he used to fool around with his "wingman".

Elijah chuckled and smirked. "No, I'm proud to say I made it to second-in-command. Remmy's still doing jail duty, though. I had to give him a couple of good whacks for harassing Victoria and another queen. He just can't control himself sometimes...But other than that, it's not much different."He shook his head as he thought about how much trouble Remmy must be in by now without his supervision. _"Just one more reason to get back as soon as possible..."_He locked the thought away in the back of his mind, along with all the other reasons for him to get out as soon as he could.

'Teazer's eyes widened. "You ah' _second-in-command?_ 'Ow in 'eaveysoide did ya get ta tha' rank so fast? When me an' 'Jerrie left, ya were nothin' more than a grunt!"She exclaimed incredulously, amazed by his remarkable achievement.

He shrugged modestly in response; he wasn't one to brag. Elijah turned his attention toward the den's entrance, where 'Jerrie was stepping in with Misto and Vicky. He looked back at 'Teazer, who was still dumbstruck by how he managed to get so good so fast.

'Teazer vigorously shook her head, and stood up. "T'was noice seein' ya again, 'Loijah. Looks loike it's gonna get crowded in 'ere. 'Jerrie an' Oi bettah be headin' out. See ya. 'Bye Jelley, take good care o' 'im."'Teazer said as she walked towards the entrance, and pulled her brother along with her. Jelly waved goodbye, but kept her eyes on Elijah.

Misto and Vicky sat down beside Elijah. Victoria smiled politely as she greeted him. "Hi, Elijah. I see you're doing much better. How are you feeling?"She asked, trying not to look at all the red cuts that marred his short, charcoal fur.

"Now I know how you felt, Misto, when we beat you up. My whole upper body is constantly aching, but it's not that bad. Jelly did an awesome job."Elijah nodded at Jelly, who smiled back at him.

Misto grinned knowingly at him. "You'll be fine in a few days. You bounce back quickly, you know? It took me, what...a day and a half to come to? It hasn't even been a full 24 hours yet, and you're already awake and talking. But you're probably used to getting beatings, aren't you?"He assumed in a slightly sarcastic voice.

Elijah raised an eyebrow and looked thoughtfully at the ceiling. "You'd be wrong there, my friend. Being second-in-command means that no one can touch you unless they're your boss or they have a problem with authority. Fortunately for me, I don't make my boss angry very often, and all the henchcats have enough respect for me to not screw around with me. But, yes, when you live in a place where pain and fear go hand in hand, you have to toughen up fast. Therefore, I've developed a high pain threshold to deal with that. You're not the first tom to tell me I bounce back quick."He drawled, getting a bit cocky.

Victoria furrowed her brow at him in irritation. "Elijah, what's the matter with you? You're not usually this cocky!"She scolded, giving him a light smack on his thigh with the back of her paw.

"Sorry...I guess the pain is messing with my head. Forgive me?"Elijah muttered, glancing apologetically at the both of them.

"You're forgiven; just mind your words, alright? What are you going to do after you're recovered? Are you going to stay, or go back to Macavity's?"Victoria asked, tilting her head to the side. Inside, she wanted him to stay, but she knew he was needed elsewhere.

Elijah pondered his answer for a moment. "As much as I would like to stay, I can't. I'm desperately needed back at the hideout, so I have to get back as soon as I have recovered enough. I think they'll survive without me for a day or so, though."He replied confidently.

They heard Jelly scoff from across the den. Misto and Vicky turned their heads towards her, confused. Elijah tilted his head to the side, also confused. "What, is something funny?"He asked her.

Jelly cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, Elijah, but you're not going anywhere for at least two days. Your mind may heal quickly, but your body doesn't. No matter how much they may need you, you need to take care of yourself first. If I let you go tomorrow, your cuts will just tear open again. I can't let that happen, so you're staying put. No excuses."She finished sternly, pointing a finger at him.

Misto chuckled in amusement at the disappointed look on Elijah's face. "Looks like you're stuck with us for now. Don't worry; I'm sure you'll be up and about tomorrow."He said in a half-convincing tone. He stole a glance over his shoulder to look out the entrance. It was dark. He nudged Victoria and motioned his head toward the entrance.

Catching on, Victoria nodded at him and looked back at Elijah. "We've got to go; it's getting late. It nice to see you've made so much progress in so little time. We'll be by again tomorrow. Good night, Elijah."She smiled gently at him and stood up. She walked to the den entrance, and waited for Misto.

"G'night, guys. Thanks for coming by. See ya tomorrow."Elijah let out a yawn and lay back down, closing his eyes.

"No problem...good night."Misto murmured, almost inaudibly, as he stood up and silently followed his queenfriend out of the den and off to their own.

Elijah nodded, already half-asleep. "_Who knew talking could take so much out of me? Must be the pain that's taking its toll..."_He thought as he finally let his exhaustion take over and bring him into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	10. Old Friends, New Problems

P.O. Chapter 10: Old Friends, New Problems

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats, but Elijah is mine. Sorry, I forgot to mention that in the last chapter! But you guys already know that...I hope.;)

**A/N: ** **This is gonna be a fun one! I know the last two chappies were kinda serious, so I decided to lighten the mood with** **some ever-amusing henchcat bantering! This update took a terribly long time, I know. Being sick and having no power for a full nine hours does that. This is just not my week, is it? Sorry guys! Enjoy!**

The junkyard was dead silent. The moon was just a silver sliver as it made its journey in the sky. No one was awake at this hour, except for the few toms that were patrolling the area for any sign of danger. They were especially alert tonight, as Macavity could strike at anytime in revenge for the stunt that Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer pulled.

Jelly had long since gone to sleep. Elijah himself was fast asleep; his exhaustion of the day's events made sure of it. As deep as his slumber was, though, a small part of his mind was still awake; alert for any sign of danger. Living and working in conditions where danger was literally around every corner did that to you.

That small part of his mind detected an unwelcome presence in the room. As he came out of his dark, peaceful world of sleep, he suddenly felt a sharp pressure being put on his throat, as if something or someone was pressing something against it.

He knew he should move away from said pressure, but his mind wouldn't work. It felt sluggish, like he was experiencing a fever, and it was as if it were in a dense, heavy fog that make his head feel like it was made of lead. The only thing was...Elijah wasn't sick, so a fever was out of the question.

He tried to look for the threat, but it was no use. Everything was blurry and indistinct. He suddenly felt the presence enter his mind with a force that made his head pound relentlessly. The heavy fog that covered Elijah's mind suppressed any and all thoughts. He couldn't think, and he felt his body quickly go numb. He was completely at the mercy of the presence in his head, and until it left, he couldn't do a thing.

After a few moments of torment, the presence spoke. "_Elijah, I have to say, I am proud of you. You did what I've been trying to do for years: get into enemy territory without being seen as a threat. From your memories, I gathered that you are seen as a friend in the eyes of the Jellicles. You've also met up with some old friends of ours. Good; now that you are in the Jellicles' home, I have a new objective for you: find out any and all weaknesses in their defenses, and report back to me. I'll send a few toms to come pick you up exactly one day from now. Be ready."_

With that, the presence dissipated from his mind, along with the fog. The pressure at his neck was gone as well, but it still felt like it was there. Elijah could now think clearly, despite the pounding headache in his head. All the feeling had returned to his body, waking every nerve; leaving a feeling of relief mixed with pain as the nerves around his wounds started working again.

He heaved a sigh of relief; the torture of someone taking over his mind was now over.

"_Damn it, Macavity, I hate it when you do that! Especially when you read my mind...Don't I deserve to have some privacy?"_ Elijah thought angrily, feeling violated that the most private part of his mind had been exposed to none other than his boss.

It wasn't the first time Macavity had contacted Elijah through telepathy. He did it quite often, as he thought sending a henchcat to fetch him was just a waste of his valuable time. Using magic made it so much easier, but it had negative effects on the person he was contacting. Of course, Macavity couldn't care less, so Elijah had to deal with the aftermath.

The pounding headache was ebbing away, and Elijah was even more exhausted now than when he went to sleep the first time. With a quiet groan, he let his head drop to the floor, and he fell back into a deep slumber almost immediately.

Next thing he knew, something bright and warm was covering his face. He cracked an eye open and squinted as a shaft of sunlight hit it. He opened his other eye and rolled onto his side, ignoring the pain in his arm as he put pressure on it.

He glanced around for Jelly, but she was nowhere to be seen. A mischievous grin played on his lips as he thought about what he could do with no one around to stop him. "_Jelly's gone...and I'm stuck in bed, by her orders. Or am I? She's not here, so who's going to stop me from testing my limits? No one, that's who! I'm sick of staying in bed, so how bad could getting up and walking around be? ...There's only one way to find out."_Elijah thought as he brought his legs under him to get into a crouching position. He winced as his chest disapproved of the sudden movement. He ignored it, and continued the process of standing up.

Bringing his arms out in front of him to steady himself, he slowly rose so that he was standing. His legs wobbled a little, as they weren't used to being put to work after two days of lying down. He steadied himself by focusing on an old chair in the opposite corner of the den.

Finding his balance, Elijah decided to take a step, then two. He chuckled to himself. _"This isn't so bad...What was Jelly thinking, making me stay in bed? I'm completely fine! I can stand up and walk, so what's the point of lying down for the next day?"_He thought as he slowly walked around, testing his balance and stretching his legs.

Just as he thought he was completely recovered, the room started to spin. He felt himself stumbling backward, and he grabbed onto the nearby table to keep himself from falling over. His heartbeat was loud in his ears, and his breath came in rapid, short gasps.

Keeping still for a few moments, he waited for the dizzy spell to end. The room slowly stopped spinning, and he let go of the table. His heartbeat died down, and he focused on taking deep, even breaths. He glanced at the den entrance just as Jelly came in, holding a dead rat in her paw.

She gasped as she took in what her patient was up to. She dropped the rat and rushed over to Elijah.

"Elijah, you silly tom, get back to your cot! You're not in any condition to be up and walking around!"Jelly said sternly, placing her paws on his shoulders and guiding him back to the cot. She made him lay down again, much to his displeasure.

"On the contrary, Jelly, I was perfectly fine. I was walking around like nothing happened. So what's the point of staying in bed if I can already walk?"Elijah challenged, lying through his teeth. Jelly just gave him an exasperated sigh, and went to go pick up the rat she dropped.

When she came back, she handed the rat to him, which he gladly started chewing on. As he was eating, she decided to answer his question. "I don't care how tough you think your body is, or what it's previously been through. If you don't listen to it, you'll end up hurting yourself a lot more than what you can handle. I'm glad you've got the determination to test your limits, but there's a time and a place for that and it's not now. Now you need to rest and take it easy."She explained in a much gentler voice. She stretched her paw out and ruffled his headfur, like a mother would with her kitten.

Elijah gave a half-hearted hiss and playfully swatted her paw away, smiling. He would never admit it, but he liked the motherly attention Jelly was giving him. It made him feel good that someone genuinely cared about him, and not just for his rank or looks.

Jelly drew her paw away, smirking and shaking her head. Her face it up suddenly as she got an idea. "Tell you what; if you can promise me you won't try anything funny while I'm helping Jenny take care of the kittens, you can get up and walk around when I come back, alright? Under my supervision, of course. I'll fetch Misto and Vicky to keep you company while I'm gone. You're recovering very nicely, so I feel safe leaving you alone. Just holler if you need anything, okay?"Jelly asked, looking at Elijah for confirmation.

He nodded, but furrowed his brow as a question came to mind. "How long will you be gone?"He asked, gazing up at her with what almost looked like worry.

"Don't worry; I'll only be gone for a few hours. I have to get Misto and Vicky. Be good!"Jelly pointed her finger at him as she turned and walked out the den, leaving Elijah to himself.

All too soon, Elijah heard footsteps from outside the den, and Mistofelees and Victoria popped their heads inside. They stepped in with smiles on their faces.

"Good morning! How are we today? Better than yesterday, I hope?"Victoria asked cheerily as she and Misto sat down beside their friend.

Elijah chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Much better, actually. I tried to walk around, but it didn't turn out so well. Jelly caught me standing up and made me stay on my cot. It's not fun, being cooped up in here. But she did say that when she comes back, she'd help me walk around. How are you guys doing?"He asked, tilting his head up at the pair.

Misto was the first to answer. "I'm great, thanks. My injuries have healed up quite nicely. I'm back to doing magic, though only in small amounts. Vicky here is obviously her usual self, happy and energetic as always."He answered for his queenfriend, giving her a playful nudge with his elbow.

Victoria giggled and nuzzled his arm in response. She turned her attention back to Elijah. "How do you think all your friends are doing at Macavity's hideout? They must miss you over there...I mean, who wouldn't? You hold the whole place together!"Victoria said casually, giving him a kind smile.

Elijah stiffened slightly, remembering his new mission. _"Oh crap! I completely forgot about the new objective! Umm...think Elijah, how can you get the info out of them...?"_He thought frantically, quickly regaining his previous relaxed composure as a mask to hide his new anxiety. Luckily, his friends didn't notice him falter.

"Oh, yeah, they must be terrible without me. Say, since we won't be out of here for a while, do you mind telling me about this place? It's gotta be great, playing in trash piles and whatnot all day. I've never actually seen a junkyard up close, much less been in one."Elijah smiled inwardly as he put his remarkable skill of talking to good use once again. He was notorious for being able to talk anything out of anyone, especially when it came to missions. He knew how to make anyone blurt out anything useful, just by casual conversation. He was eternally grateful to the Everlasting Cat that Misto and Vicky didn't know that about him.

Victoria stared at him in disbelief. "Really? You've _never_ been in a junkyard? Not even the smaller one in the northern part of London? You poor thing...You're missing out on so much!"She shook her head in mock disappointment. "I guess the most important thing is that we make our homes in the trash piles...or out of them. So, technically, you're in a pile of garbage right now!"She giggled when she saw Elijah's disgusted look. "Don't worry, it's been cleaned out and sanitized. You're perfectly fine."She added, still giggling.

Elijah nodded, but decided that there wasn't anything useful to keep in mind from that. Another idea came to him as he caught sight of the remains of his dead rat on the floor beside him. "What about hunting? Do you hunt inside or outside the junkyard? Which one is easier?"He asked, hoping his question might spark an interest in one of them.

Fortunately it did. Misto answered this time. "We do both, but I prefer to hunt outside. The field behind the junkyard is so much more spacious, and it's easier to catch the mice that live there. Although, hunting inside does present more of a challenge. It's harder to catch the rodents, and you have to watch out for hazards like metal or unstable trash heaps. Though it's still fun, regardless."He finished with a smirk.

"_Watch out for metal and unstable trash heaps, rear field could be a weakness. Got it. These guys are so gullible! Still, I do feel bad that I'm using my friends. Oh no, what's gotten into me? I'm getting soft, being around these guys. Damn it, Elijah! Snap out of it! You're here to complete a mission, for Bast's sake, so get it done!"_Elijah mentally kicked himself for letting his emotions play a part in his mission, which he knew could get him easily killed under the wrong circumstances.

Still keeping his composed mask on, he thought of questions that he thought any newcomer would ask. He avoided being too specific, as that would ruin his chances. Another question popped into his head as the thought of Jelly's absence.

"What do the kittens do around here? If both Jenny _and_ Jelly have to take care of them, they must be a real handful."Elijah assumed as he heard the squeals and laughs of the kittens not far off in the distance.

"You have _no_ idea! It's almost impossible to keep them in one place! They're always so energetic, it's almost like they bounce off the trash piles!"Victoria giggled. She stopped as a realization came to her. "Oh, wait...They _do_ bounce off the trash piles! Watching them play never gets old!"She exclaimed as she broke down into a fit of giggles again.

Elijah locked another tidbit of good information in his head. _"Kittens are definitely a weakness. Mac's gonna feel sorry he ever punished me when he hears about all this stuff! Nevertheless, I still feel bad I'm using my friends' words against them...They never did anything to intentionally harm me. Stop it! You're getting emotional again! You're on a mission, remember? Act like it!"_He vigorously shook his head, trying to get his conscience to shut up. This sudden action caught the unwanted attention of his friends.

Misto cocked an eyebrow at him. "Elijah, are you alright? Do you want us to leave you alone so you can get some rest? You look tired."

The tom in question shot his head up at him looking almost guilty, as if he had heard his thoughts. He relaxed as he repeated the question to himself. "Uhh...yeah, I'm fine. Injuries take a lot out of you, ya know? I guess I just need some rest. Sorry to cut our conversation short."He answered politely. His fake calm demeanor was still holding out, much to his relief. He stifled a yawn as he laid his head down and closed his eyes.

Victoria smiled gently at him. "We understand. We'll see you later."She stood up and tip-toed out of the den as quietly as she could, and Misto followed suit.

Next thing Elijah knew, he was being shaken awake quite violently. His eyes snapped open to find that Jelly was trying to wake him up, and she looked rather distressed. She stopped shaking him when she realized he was awake.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're awake! We've got a problem, Elijah. Some of Macavity's henchcats are here, and they're looking for you! We managed to restrain them, but they said they won't leave without you! Come quick, before they start getting angry. I'll help you up."She said in a rush as she hooked her arms under his shoulders and lifted him up.

Elijah was surprised at the sudden movement, but he didn't resist. He let Jelly guide him to the den entrance and out into the sunlight.

When they got outside, he realized everything Jelly said was true. Plato, Munkustrap, and Alonzo were restraining some rather mangy-looking toms who had their paws bound behind their backs. Elijah recognized them as some of the lower-ranking toms; the grunts of Macavity's fleet. He also saw that Remmy was one of them.

The tom Alonzo was restraining looked up as he saw movement in front of him and recognized Elijah immediately. "'Ey, boss! Nice ta see ya again! We came ta take ya back home! Now could ya please tell these paranoid Jellicle friends o' yours ta let us go?"He let out a snarl as Alonzo whacked him upside the head for that last remark. He snapped back, but only received another whack as punishment.

Remmy and the other tom snickered quietly at their comrade, but shut their mouths when they got a dark glare from him.

Munk spoke up. "Are these guys telling the truth? Are they really here to take you back, or are they just spies?"He shot a disgusted look at Remmy, who he was restraining.

Elijah cringed inwardly at the word "spies", but he remained composed. Macavity told him they'd be here for him, and henchcats follow orders, or else there are consequences. "These guys are telling the truth. I knew Mac' would send for me at one point or another."He shrugged non-chalantly. He twisted his words a little, but he couldn't tell them the truth, or they'd attack him without hesitation for spying on them. He _was_ a spy, but he wasn't about to tell _them_ that.

Just when things were cooling down a little, Misto and Vicky emerged from Misto's den to see what all the commotion was about. The other cats noticed them, and Elijah prayed that Remmy wouldn't recognize them and ruin their chances of a clean departure because of his loud mouth.

Alas, his prayer fell on deaf ears when Remmy's head shot up and he cracked a smile at the pair. "Hey, I remembah you two! You escaped Mac's hideout! Wouldn't it beh nice ta bring back what's ah's? Mac' would beh realleh 'appy!"He piped up, now grinning menacingly at the two.

The tom Alonzo had seemed to like the idea, as he nodded slowly with a smile. "I likes the idea, Remmy. We'd get prom...promotieds in no time!"He said excitedly.

The third tom just shook his head, sighing. "Max, its _prom-o-ted_. Get it right, idiot."He rolled his eyes at him and turned his head towards Remmy. "Remmy, you dumb-ass, we can't kidnap two cats again when we're talking about right in front of them, not to mention their backup. Plus, we're tied up. We can't move very much, if you haven't noticed. See, this is why Mac' sent me with you guys. I'm the smart one, so if you want to stay alive, let me do the talking."He finished with an unemotional stare at Remmy.

Remmy mimicked his stare, clearly not impressed. "Oh yeah, wise guy, what do ya suggest we do? You seem ta 'ave all the answers, smart-ass."He said sarcastically, tilting his head in the tom's direction.

Before the third tom could retort to that, Max piped up again. "How 'bout both of yous jus' shu'up an' listen ta Elijah? He's ah' boss..."He trailed off, looking at his comrades for approval.

Remmy and the other tom looked at him in surprise. "That's prob'ly tha' best thin' you've said all day. But you're right."Remmy smirked at Max and turned his head towards Elijah. "What do ya think, boss?"He asked.

This was a no-brainer for Elijah, but he decided to have a little fun first before he left. "I think all of you are idiots. First, you come in here in broad _daylight_ to come and get me. Guaranteed way of getting caught, and possibly killed. Second, you talk about kidnapping cats in front of your captors, I mean, how much more stupid can you guys get? Third, we're leaving. Now. No kidnapping, no questions asked."He shot a disapproving glare at each of his charges. They all looked away, ashamed.

His face took on a more polite expression as he looked at Munk. "Sorry for the trouble these incompetent bastards caused. We'll be taking our leave now. Thanks so much for all that you've done for me. I won't forget it."He bowed his head at Munk, who returned the gesture with a small smile.

"Not a problem, it was a pleasure taking care of you. We'll show you and your comrades out."Munk said as he roughly pushed Remmy forward, earning unintelligible complaints from him. Alonzo and Plato did the same, and guided the miserable toms toward the Junkyard entrance. Elijah bid goodbye to Jelly, Misto, and Victoria before following them.

When they got to the entrance, the ropes that bound the tom's paws were cut off, and they didn't hesitate to climb over the fence to freedom. They waited obediently for their boss on the other side.

Elijah just had one more thing to do before he left. He turned to Munk with a sad smile on his face. "Thanks for putting up with me, sir. I'm not a desirable tom to have around, and for good reason, but you accepted me all the same. Thanks a lot. Oh, and tell Rumpleteazer...I'll miss her. A lot. And that I wish I could have spent more time with her. Please, tell her, it would mean a lot to me."He finished, backing away towards the fence.

Munk smiled kindly at him in return. "You're most welcome. Don't worry; I'll be sure to tell her. Good bye, Elijah."He waved him off while he scrambled over the fence and off into an alley with his comrades not far behind.


	11. Scheming,Teasing,and Other Fine Hobbies

Disclaimer: I do own two pet cats and two pet dogs, not to mention Elijah, but I don't actually own Cats. Weird, eh?

**A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers and readers! You guys give me the inspiration to write! I'm happy to say that there will be much fewer delays from now on, so updates will be more frequent. Provided school doesn't get too crazy...anyway, enjoy! This chappie's dedicated to Kristen-Kai-Lundy, who did a concept pic of Elijah for me. Thanks a million!**

Elijah stealthily snuck into the hideout, using the emergency exit he was thrown out of not long ago. The henchcats followed and assembled around him in the jail hall, waiting for orders.

He shot a disappointed look at them; he was still miffed that they made such stupid mistakes. "You're all dismissed. Don't let this happen again."He warned them and headed off down the hall towards Macavity's office. He didn't bother saluting them, as he didn't think they deserved it.

He reached his boss' office and knocked softly on the door. A gruff "enter" was heard from inside, and he pushed the door open and stepped into the office. He didn't like being in here. Not because of its shabby appearance, from its old, rickety desk in the middle that was always strewn with yellowed papers, to the musty smell from who-knows-what in the corner. The peeling, faded dark gray paint on the walls didn't add a nice touch, either. He didn't like it because of the ginger tom that sat at the desk, staring at him with those acid yellow eyes. The intimidating and dominant aura around him didn't make Elijah anymore comfortable.

"Report. What did you find of interest? How is my older brother doing these days?"Macavity drawled in his sleazy tone. He smirked as he inspected his claws.

Elijah gave the tiniest shudder; the sight of those claws always sent a cold shiver down his spine, and Macavity knew it. Coming back to his senses, he cleared his throat. "The field behind the junkyard could be a very good ambush point. Apparently it's very spacious, but it's most likely cut off by a fence. They use it as a hunting ground. I found out that discarded metal and unstable trash piles are a huge hazard. I think we can use the kittens as ransom, but they'd most likely be guarded by adults."He finished, expecting a positive remark.

Macavity remained silent. His indifferent expression didn't give anything away. He put his paw down and glanced at Elijah. "That's it? You didn't find out anything else? What of their security? Numbers? Skill? You've given me very little to work with, Elijah. I'm disappointed."He said in a flat tone.

"_What? Disappointed? I almost got discovered as a spy because of that! Hmm...Did he say security?"_Elijah thought as he collected himself. He tried again, this time hoping to get a better comment. "Sir, their security isn't good. Nothing like yours. They let me and the henchcats go without a hitch, and they were very polite about the whole thing. They were too trusting...It was almost unsettling. Your former prisoners weren't scared or anything. They talked to me like I was their friend. Which I am, but-"He got cut off as Macavity suddenly rose from his chair and grabbed his neck in one swift movement. He lifted him up a couple inches off the ground with one arm.

A surprised Elijah struggled to get free, but he knew he couldn't win. Macavity locked his eyes on him, and the scar on his neck suddenly felt like it was on fire. He tried to scream in agony, but no sound came out of his mouth.

"Friend? You do not make _friends_. You do not trust anyone. I thought you understood that. Next time you see our prisoners, show no mercy. Those Jellicles have made you soft. It's my turn to toughen you up."Macavity hissed as he let go. Elijah collapsed in a heap on the hardwood floor, gasping for air. He lay still as the pain ebbed away. He knew if he moved too much, it would more than likely come back.

Macavity sat back down in his chair and his face was stone-cold once more, like nothing had happened. He resumed the conversation in his usual low, smooth tone. "My brother was always known for being too nice. He probably felt like you weren't much of a threat, with your injuries, and with so many good words from your...friends."He spat the word out like it was poison, and then continued. "But you're right, his security is nothing compared to mine. It's still an obstacle, though. Do not be fooled, they were just testing you; observing what we are capable of when I'm not leading you. Some of them may trust you, but I know he doesn't. Next time he won't be so nice. We won't either."He finished, and looked at Elijah's shaking form in front of him.

He rose again and nudged him with his foot. Elijah recoiled from him, but didn't get far. Macavity smirked. "I'll explain the rest of my plan tomorrow. I'll send for you again, when you're more attentive."He nudged him again and Elijah raced out of the office, faster than an injured cat should.

* * *

><p>Misto ran the whole exchange over with Victoria once again. "It doesn't make sense, Vic. Why was Munk so nice to the henchcats? He's usually not that passive when it comes to intruders. I understand with Elijah, but...He shouldn't have been that polite."He looked at Victoria, who was sitting across from him on an old crate. They were near the Great Tire, and the sun was low in the sky.<p>

Victoria rested a paw on her chin, thinking. She remained silent for a few moments before replying. "Maybe he was just testing their obedience to Elijah. As you could probably tell, they couldn't think for themselves very well. If Elijah was really bad, he would have made them fight and try to kidnap us again, or something. But he didn't. He said to do the exact opposite. Maybe that's why Munk treated the henchcats so nicely: because he knew Elijah wouldn't try anything bad. Because he knew Elijah _wasn't_ bad."She looked at Misto for his opinion.

Misto slowly nodded, taking her words in. "You're right about the obedience. Munk probably knew he wouldn't do anything, or couldn't do anything, so he was just testing their loyalty. He was testing Elijah. But Elijah being good? He's Macavity's second-in-command! He has to be anything but good! His nice personality is just so out of place in the hideout. I know it's his nature, but it seems kind of strange to me."Misto explained in a quieter tone.

Victoria cocked her head at him in confusion. "What are you talking about, Misto? Elijah's just naturally nice, he said so himself. He might stand out from the other toms we works with, but that's the key to his success: being different. He leads the henchcats with Macavity in his own way, mixed with Macavity's way. And it works."She smiled, remembering how safe she felt when Elijah was guarding them back at the hideout.

"No, that's not my point. Sure, he's nice and all, but he just seems _too_ nice. And relaxed. He was practically our prisoner, yet his demeanor was completely relaxed. It was unnatural. It's like he was acting, or something. Remember how he was asking us all those questions about the junkyard? He seemed like he was choosing his words carefully, like he wanted a specific answer. I could see it in his eyes. He was thinking a lot before each question, and he didn't sound like he was trying to make casual conversation. His body may have been relaxed, but his eyes and tone weren't. Didn't you notice that?"By this time Misto had stood up and was pacing, wringing his paws. Vicky shook her head in disapproval.

She stood up and hugged him tightly, resting her head on his chest. Misto didn't hesitate to return the hug, but he was still tense. Vicky looked up at him and smiled. "You're doing it again, Misto. You're over-thinking things and getting paranoid. You need to relax. Elijah's a nice cat, and he was just curious about the junkyard, that's all. He hasn't been in one, so you can't blame him for asking questions, thinking he's out to get something from us. It's unfair."She nuzzled his neck as she felt his arms around her relax.

Misto sighed and broke their embrace. "Thanks, Vic. I needed that. You're right, I am getting paranoid again. I guess I just don't trust cats as easily as you do."He smiled at her and sat back down.

Victoria did the same and resumed their conversation. "So now that we have that out of our fur, what do you think of Rumpleteazer and Elijah? She hinted that she...liked him, but I want to know if 'Jerrie told you anything."Victoria whispered, as if someone might hear her. Misto knew she loved gossiping about crushes, and it rubbed off on him pretty quickly. Now he loved gossiping just as much as she did.

He shook his head while a mischievous grin formed on his face. "'Jerrie didn't tell me anything. What did 'Teazer say? When did she tell you?"He asked, leaning forward with interest.

His queenfriend giggled with excitement; she was loving this. "She told me when you were in Jenny's den, the night we came back. We were waiting for our turns, and she asked me if I knew him. Once I said his name, she went into this weird trance...She said that even though she hasn't seen Elijah in years, she's still head-over-heels for him! I think it's the same thing with Elijah."She gave him an uncertain glance. She didn't want to go making up stories about someone she knew so little about, but she was pretty sure she was telling the truth.

Misto furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "Wow, 'Teazer must really like him if she was that into it. She must have taken a short walk down memory lane there! Wait, how do you know it's the same deal with Elijah? Did he tell you so himself back in the hideout while I was still out?"He leaned back, cocking his head.

Victoria chuckled, but shook her head. "No, he didn't tell me he even knew 'Teazer. I could tell by the look in his eyes when we went to visit him that first time, while 'Jerrie and 'Teazer left. He had this look of longing in his eyes, just for a second. But it was enough to tell me he still had feelings for her."She had a twinge of sadness in her voice, but it was fleeting. Her face suddenly lit up as she thought of something. She sighed dreamily, getting Misto's full attention.

"What? You're making that face again, you know, the one you make whenever you're thinking of something romantic? What's on your mind?"Misto asked, all ears.

"Oh, nothing really. I'm just thinking about how lucky 'Teazer is to have a bad boy as a tomfriend. One who can be both kind and mysterious. It must be so exhilarating..."She trailed off and sighed again.

Misto drew back, frowning. "Oh, and I'm not? Come on, Vic, I can make _magic_! How much more mysterious could I get?"He exclaimed, throwing his paws up in the air. He tone was laced with the tiniest bit of jealousy, but his queenfriend had no problem picking it out.

Victoria laughed, a little happy that her tomfriend was jealous. "No, no, I didn't mean it like that! I'm just saying that Elijah has a reputation for crime, which makes him a bad boy, but he's also sweet and sensitive. Queens _love_ that! That's the perfect combination that queens like 'Teazer want. That's why I think she's so lucky. Don't get me wrong, though. You have the perfect combination of being kind and brave. That's what I need."She finished, hoping she'd avoided making him take offence.

Her tomfriend remained silent, thinking about what she said. A malicious grin slowly spread across his face. "Well if you find bad boys so exhilarating, then maybe I should be more of one?"He asked while yellow sparks started to dance around his paws.

Victoria's eyes widened, and her face grew horrified. "You _wouldn't_! I swear Misto, if you come near me with those paws, you'll pay!"She threatened while she stood up and started to back away slowly.

Misto cocked an eyebrow while he stood up as well. "Try me."He purred as he advanced towards her. When he was about half a foot away from her, he stopped. Victoria stopped as well. She shut her eyes tightly and they both waited. Slowly, the fur on her paws started to prickle, as they were the closest to Misto's electrified paws. Then, in a matter of seconds, every hair on Victoria's body stood on end; it was every queen's worst nightmare: frizzy fur.

She stood there with her mouth gaping open. She stared at Misto, flabbergasted. Misto put his paws down and smirked. A few moments for silence passed, and he couldn't stand it any longer. He doubled over in laughter as Victoria came to her senses and frantically tried to smooth her fur.

"Misto, you're _terrible_! You're going to pay for this!"Victoria screeched as she unsheathed her claws and stepped towards him.

Misto calmed himself enough to stop laughing, and looked at her in triumph. "Ha! So you finally admit it! I am a bad boy!"He exclaimed as he started running.

Victoria hissed and gave chase. "You _ruined_ my fur! Get back here and take your punishment like a tom!"She screamed as she chased him through the junkyard. Misto's laughter and Victoria's empty threats filled the air for a good twenty minutes until Munkustrap finally stepped in and made them stop.


	12. An Inside Look

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats! Stop badgering me about it!

**A/N: I know I didn't include much in the last chappie on the whole "Macavity's plan" thing, it was kinda cut short because I wanted to throw some Mistoria in there. I know there hasn't been too much lately and people were missing it, so I hope you guys liked it! Anyway, enough of my rambling, enjoy the chappie!**

Elijah ran as fast as he could out of Macavity's office and to his room at the other end of the jail hall. He didn't bother acknowledging Remmy when he waved at him from his chair. He was just focused on getting to his room, and sorting this whole mess in his head out.

He slowed down once he reached the other end of the jail hall, with the door leading to his room in sight. He stepped in and slammed the door shut. Flicking the light switch on, he took a moment to calm his racing heart as he surveyed his room.

The single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling made the room look dim, illuminating very little of the small space. It cast eerie shadows on everything else, like the red brick walls, and his night table, but Elijah was used to it. He sat on his small, squeaky mattress, which was held up by a rusted metal bed stand.

He sighed and put his head in his paws. _"What the hell is going on with you? You used to be impenetrable before those damn Jellicles came into your life. Now you've let your emotions take over, and look where it's gotten you. Beaten down and weak! Get a hold of yourself!"_He yelled at himself in his mind.

His eyes suddenly widened as he came to a realization. "Weak...They've made me weak..."He whispered softly to himself. "Next thing you know, the henchcats will lose their respect for you and start walking all over you."He chuckled, standing up. He fastened his belt on, making the keys on it jingle.

Looking over his shoulder at his sad excuse of a night table, he noticed his dagger lying on it where he had left it the night Misto and Vicky came into the hideout. He hadn't decided to wear it since then because he thought it would scare them too much, or they would try and use it against him should they succeed to steal it. _"Just in case."_He thought as he picked it up and slid it into its small sheath that was also attached to his belt.

Shaking his head vigorously to get all the confounding thoughts of emotions out of it, he put his usual mask of composure on, and headed out on patrol.

Once he was out the door, the distant sound of yowling and hissing reached his ears. Pricking his ears toward the sound, he determined it was coming from the henchcats' "barracks". His tail lashed angrily as he walked swiftly down the narrow hallway in the direction of the barracks.

The sound got louder as he approached the metal double-doors that were the entrance to the area. He could hear muffled cheers and someone swearing quite profusely from the other side. Frowning, he determined this could only mean one thing: a fight had broken out. Again.

As much as he loved seeing toms beat the crap out of each other, he had to enforce the rule of no fighting. His sense of duty and responsibility took over, and he burst open the heavy doors, storming furiously inside.

"What in freaking hell is going on in here?"Elijah shouted as loud as he could, making everyone else freeze. The room was dead silent as he eyed each of the twenty-some henchcats gathered in a tight circle around something. No one dared to answer.

Letting out a vicious hiss that made all the toms jump, Elijah stalked towards the middle of the circle while the frightened henchcats parted to make way for him. What he saw in the middle of the circle didn't surprise him.

Two bloodied and bruised toms stood side by side with their heads hung in shame. He couldn't tell the colour of their coats as they were completely covered in bruises, dirt, and bleeding gashes. Circling around them, he observed their cuts and bruises while thinking of a good punishment.

"You, tell me, why were you fighting? Did you not know that there is a rule that prohibits fighting among henchcats in the hideout?"Elijah demanded, pointing to one of the toms he was circling.

The tom hesitantly looked up at him with fear in his eyes. "Y-yes, sir. We do know, but..."He softly trailed off, looking away.

"But what? Answer me!"Elijah shouted, making both toms start.

The second tom got brave, and piped up. "'Ey insulted moi mothah! Moi _mothah_! 'Ey deserved ta pay fo' tha', the li'le son o' a-!"His rant got cut off as Elijah slashed him across the face, leaving a couple new bloody gashes to go with his previous ones. He recoiled, hissing in pain.

"Do not speak when you were not spoken to!"Elijah yelled at him. He turned his attention towards the first tom. "So you just retaliated, is that it?" Elijah asked him, still using a harsh tone. The first tom nodded fervently in response.

Elijah didn't hesitate to slash him across the face as well, ignoring his agonized yowl as he reeled backwards a bit. "As punishment for your misbehavior, you will both be on cafeteria duty tomorrow. I want that area looking as clean as a whistle when I come and check on your work. If you do a half-assed job, you'll have to answer to my dagger."He threatened in a lower, darker tone. He tapped the hilt of the dagger he wore on his belt for emphasis.

Both toms quickly glanced down at it, and gulped, nodding their heads.

"Good. Now get back to work, all of you! There's nothing to see here!"Their commanding officer shouted, and the henchcats dispersed. They parted for Elijah as he made his way out of the barracks, while avoiding making eye contact with him.

Once the double-doors shut behind him, Elijah walked straight, down another dim, narrow corridor toward the cafeteria. The heavy wooden doors to this area were open, as it was dinner time.

The delicious aroma of roasted rodent and bird wafted from inside, making his mouth water. He realized he hadn't eaten since breakfast, so he headed to the head of the long, spacious room and grabbed a semi-clean, cracked plate. He grabbed a couple of roasted rats and made his way to a table where a bunch of loud toms sat. Despite being their second boss, he still liked to socialize with the henchcats.

They immediately noticed him and greeted him heartily. "Hey, boss! Wherever have ya been? You were like, gone for a few days and then...now you're back!"One of the toms drawled, earning a slap upside the head from one of his buddies, and a remark of "idiot..." from another one of his pals.

"Hey, hey, take it easy. He's not trying to be rude."Elijah corrected them in a calm voice. Comments of "sorry, boss" were heard from the two toms who acted up. Elijah nodded towards them and continued. "I was uhh, infiltrating enemy territory. That's why I was gone."He said, twisting his words a little. He couldn't tell them he got caught, it would ruin his reputation.

The henchcats smiled at their bosses, impressed. One tom nudged his friend saying, "I told ya so!" while he chewed on his food. Elijah quieted down and ate his food while listening to the chatter of his charges.

Finished, he left his plate and walked up and down the other aisles, making sure everything was in check. Satisfied that no trouble was brewing, he headed out and made a left at the entrance.

He slowed his pace down a bit, enjoying the quiet of this particular hallway. This was where the higher-ups like sentries and security officers had their rooms, and it was almost always silent down here. Much unlike the noise-filled barracks or cafeteria. It was uncommon to have trouble down here, besides the odd drunk officer every now and again.

Like fighting, drinking was also not allowed in the hideout. But the toms easily got around that by sneaking in bottles of beer or wine from the nearby bars. It was mostly the higher-ups, as they had the privilege of leaving the hideout whenever they wanted, unlike the henchcats. Elijah himself had gotten drunk a few times back when he was a sentry, but he smartened up when he became second-in-command, and stopped sneaking in alcohol for him and his comrades. He still liked the rare swing of booze or wine whenever he got the chance, though.

Plus, having a rowdy, drunk neighbor wasn't fun. Elijah had more than his fair share of intoxicated toms barging into his room in the middle of the night, thinking it was their room. He felt lucky he didn't have any neighbours now. As second-in-command, he got the only room other than Macavity's that was away from all the noise of the cafeteria or the other rooms. Tonight though, everything was quiet. Not a tom in sight.

He rounded the corner and walked down the corridor that had Macavity's office, as well as the healer's. He could never figure out where Macavity's room was, but he didn't want to know. He passed by said tom's office, shuddering a bit. He was still scared of what happened earlier, but he knew he would have to face his boss tomorrow, scared or not. He would just have to forget his fear and listen to what he had to say.

Walking by the healer's office and turning another corner, he found himself looking down the familiar jail hall. He picked up his pace, eager to get back to his room. All this walking and talking was taking its toll on his still-healing upper body, and he was more tired than he usually was. He just wanted to call it a night.

A different tom was on duty. He had his head on a swivel, alert for any sign of trouble. Noticing Elijah, he stood up from his chair and saluted him as he passed by. Elijah quickly returned the gesture, and kept on walking. _"At least someone's doing their job..."_He thought as he finally reached his room.

He opened the door and shut it behind him. Undoing his belt, he laid it on the floor at the foot of his bed. He gingerly slid the dagger out of its sheath and placed it on his night table, in his reach if he needed to use it.

Plopping himself down on his stained, squeaky mattress, he stretched himself out and let sleep overtake him. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the mattress.

* * *

><p>Next thing he knew, he was being violently shaken awake. Surprised at the sudden movement, his eyes shot open and he instinctively reached for his dagger. He grabbed it and held it in front of his face, protecting it.<p>

The tom that had woke him up jumped back at the sudden movement, holding his paws up in surrender. "Jeez, calm down! Mac' told meh ta wake ya up. 'E wants ta see ya."He said quickly in his thick British accent. He waited for his commander to dismiss him.

Elijah sighed in relief, putting his dagger back down. "Don't surprise me like that! Consider yourself lucky I didn't hack you to pieces! Ugh...You're dismissed. Get out."He said grouchily. He hated being woken up by someone else. He had to wonder why Macavity didn't just use his telepathy to contact him, but he shrugged it off as no big deal.

The tom nodded and ran out of the room. Elijah groaned and slowly stood up. The cramped bed didn't make it any easier to sleep comfortably during the night. He stepped over to his belt and fastened it on. He didn't bother taking his dagger, he knew he was just going to a mission briefing.

He walked out of his room and down the jail hall towards Macavity's office. He knocked softly on the wooden door and waited to receive confirmation to come in. He heard his boss say "enter" and he pushed the door open and walked inside.

Just like yesterday, Macavity was sitting at his desk, but he was staring at a large sheet of paper this time. Upon closer inspection, Elijah saw that it was a blueprint.

Macavity looked up from it and smirked. "It's the blueprint of the Jellicle Junkayard. We're planning a visit. This time, though, we're not taking any prisoners. No, we're just going to get our hands dirty, in revenge for the successful infiltration of our hideout."He chuckled quietly to himself.

Elijah scratched his head in confusion. "Sir, how did you get a blueprint of the Junkyard?"He asked, curious as to even how that thing was made. It couldn't show too much detail. The Junkyard was always changing, with new garbage coming in every week. Even Elijah knew that. Would a blueprint even be that helpful?

The Hidden Paw hissed at him, and for a second Elijah was afraid he might attack him again. But he stayed where he was. "Do not question my sources. It is none of your concern."He said menacingly. Elijah nodded and kept quiet.

His boss motioned his paw towards himself, and Elijah hesitantly stepped towards the desk. Macavity pointed to a blank section of the blueprint once he was close enough. "This is where Group Alpha, led by me, will advance from. There will be fifteen toms here. This is that field you mentioned. I will keep my toms hidden with magic, but you'll be on your own."He stated, circling the area with his claw.

He then pointed to the blank area along the right side of the junkyard. "This is where you will advance from, leading Group Beta. You will have ten toms under your command. Choose wisely. You'll need strong, agile toms for this mission. There will be fighting. Lots of it."He advised as Elijah nodded in understanding.

Macavity placed a claw on the area at the front of the junkyard, where a street was drawn. "Group Gamma will be here, with eight toms. They will be led by Alex. This is our diversion. Once they have done their job of distracting the Jellicles, we will move in on my signal. I'll contact you with telepathy once I know the time is right. Keep as silent as you can while you're moving in; do not let them see you. Surprise is our greatest asset here. Once we get into position, I'll attack first, and then you follow. We attack tonight. Questions?"He asked, looking up at Elijah.

Elijah thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Do we plan to kill or just fight? Are we going for the scare, or the message? What if we get caught?"He asked, placing a paw on his chin.

"Good questions. As much as I hate to say it, we are just fighting. I want to send a message out that we are not to be trifled with, and killing is not required for that. I just plan to give them a scare, yes. But remember to make them _think_ they are going to be killed. Be as merciless as you can, but don't go too far. Put those acting skills of yours to good use. If we get caught before we reach our positions, just knock the cat out quietly if you can. If you can't, charge. They won't know what hit them."Macavity sneered, and rolled the blueprint up. He carefully put it on the floor, so as not to rip it.

"Oh, yes. One more thing. I'll take care of Group Gamma. Get your toms ready and brief them. We meet at midnight three blocks from the junkyard, coming from here. Be ready, and be stealthy. Dismissed."Macavity said as he saluted Elijah.

Elijah returned the salute, and went off to go round up his toms.


	13. The Battle Breaks Out

Disclaimer: I own Elijah, but nothing else in regards to Cats.

**A/N: Finally! The battle! This time, the Jellicles are seriously outnumbered...How will our friends fair? You'll just have to read and find out! So terribly sorry there wasn't any Misto or Vicky in this, it was late and I wasn't thinking straight. Sorry!  
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The new moon shined no silvery light tonight. Everything was dark, every shadow was invisible. More toms were on patrol than usual again. Munkustrap felt they needed the extra security, ever since Elijah went back. He didn't trust the tom one bit, and he especially didn't like his polite personality. It seemed fake to him, like he was acting the whole time. Who knows what he could have gotten out of the more trusting cats? This put Munk on edge ever since he left, and he was growing tenser by the hour.

"_I don't even know if he will strike tonight! It seems like it's been too long since we've provoked him, so I don't know if he's forgotten about it or not. Macavity's always one to hold a grudge, though. He strikes when you least expect it. I guess that's why I'm so anxious...I know he's up to something, and tonight just seems to make sense. It's dark, and there's no moon out. Perfect time to carry out an attack."_Munk repeated to himself again. He'd been debating the same thing in his head for the past two nights.

He scanned the junkyard from his perch on a tall trash heap for the hundredth time. Nothing. The only movement he could spot was the other toms down below doing their patrols. Tantomile and Bombalurina were also on look-out. They kept their heads on a swivel, alert for danger.

Munk let out a yawn; he'd been sitting on the trash heap for over three hours. He'd usually be in his bed right now, with Demeter. But something just didn't feel right tonight, and he decided to stay up the whole night. It was a long stretch for him, but he just didn't feel comfortable letting his guard down and calling it a night. A nagging feeling in the back of his mind kept telling him that something bad was going to happen.

He sat like that for another hour, keeping his eyes trained on the far side of the Junkyard. Suddenly, a small movement caught his eye when as he gazed at the distant fence. His ears pricked forward and he sat up straighter, staring intently at that area. Continuing to stare at it for a few more moments, he saw that everything was still there. Sighing, he brushed it off as a piece of garbage that had fallen from its pile.

Stealing a glance at the other two sentries, he realized they had vanished. Assuming they had gone back to their dens to sleep, he shook his head in disappointment; he would deal with their lack of initiative later.

A yowl suddenly echoed throughout the junkyard, and Munk snapped his head toward the direction it came from; the front of the junkyard. He quickly slid off the trash pile and sprinted towards the area, thinking one of the tribe members had been attacked.

Arriving at the entrance, he realized it wasn't one of the tribe members at all. It was just two mangy-looking toms having a go at each other. Alonzo and Admetus were already there trying to break it up, but the toms weren't succeeding at all. The mangy strays were just too focused on fighting each other.

"Alright, that's enough you two! Break it up!"Munk shouted, getting their attention. They stopped clawing at each other and stared at him, surprised.

One tom spoke up. "What's it to you? It's not your problem! Get out of here; scat!"He sneered at Munk.

"I believe it is my problem. You're on my territory, so I suggest you take your fight somewhere else or face the consequences."Munk stated flatly. He glanced around; noticing the other cats on patrol had begun to draw closer to the commotion.

The fighting toms didn't fail to see that they were drawing a crowd. The second tom turned his attention to Munk. "Oh, this is _your_ territory? We're sorry, we had no idea. We'll, umm, be taking our leave now. Sorry to bother you."He said almost shadily, nudging the other tom with his elbow. The other tom nodded slightly and started walking away, and his has-been rival followed suit.

Alonzo stared after them, shaking his head. "That sure was a hassle. They were about ready to tear each others' throats out. You did a good job, breaking them up. We should get back to patrols."He said to Munk, and quickly scampered back to his post. Munk nodded after him, and started walking back to his own look-out post. The other cats who had gathered around began to disperse as well.

A malicious laugh suddenly resounded throughout the junkyard, and Munk stopped in his tracks. He knew that laugh anywhere. "Macavity..."He whispered, looking around cautiously for the ginger tom. As he expected, he was nowhere to be seen.

Out of nowhere, The Hidden Paw appeared in front of him, smirking. Munk stumbled back a few steps, completely taken by surprise.

"Ah, Munkustrap, long time no see! How have you been since our last get-together, my _dear_ brother?"Macavity drawled in his sleazy tone.

Munk glared at his brother, vividly remembering the last Jellicle Ball he almost ruined. "Leave me and my tribe alone, Macavity. If it's me you want, let's battle it out one-on-one. Leave the rest of us out of it."He hissed through clenched teeth.

Macavity almost laughed. "You? Fight me? We all remember how that ended the last time, now don't we? Don't trouble yourself; it's not you I want. It's revenge. No one infiltrates my territory without paying a price. Attack."He stated as he snapped his fingers.

Munk's eyes widened as at least ten toms appeared behind Macavity, crouched and ready to fight. They quickly dispersed, taking on their other Jellicle enemies. Macavity smirked again and slugged his stunned brother across the face before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

The Jellicle Protector reeled backwards, taken off guard. He quickly regained focus and surveyed the scene around him. It was mayhem, to say the least. Cats kicked and clawed at each other, determined to do some damage. The henchcats easily had the upper hand, as their numbers were greater.

They had no problem ganging up on one Jellicle and taking him down. At the moment, three of them had ganged up on Plato, and he had a hard time fighting back. Munk's stunned state wore off quickly, and he dashed over to help him out. He quickly threw one of them off and kicked him in the head, sending him unconscious. He roughly pushed another one away and clawed at his face, making the tom retreat with a hiss.

Plato took care of the last one. He slashed at his neck, easily cutting his jugular vein. The tom gasped and stumbled backwards, lifeless. Blood spilled from his neck and stained the ground. Plato mouthed "thanks" to Munk and ran off to fight more toms.

Suddenly, Munk heard a scream. He looked in the direction the sound came from, and found that two henchcats had started to pillage Jemima's den. He sprinted over there and burst into the den. Jemima was huddled in a corner, defenseless against the two brown toms that were now ransacking her den. At Munk's entrance, their heads shot up and they hissed at him. One lunged for him, but Munk was prepared. He kicked him in the chest and quickly threw him out the den entrance. The other one started to advance, a little more cautious than his partner.

Munk eyed him for a few seconds before lunging. He managed to grab his neck and bash his skull into the hard wall of the den before he could react. The tom sank to the floor, defeated. Munk also threw him out of the den and rushed over to Jemima.

"Are you alright, Jem? Did they hurt you?"Munk asked as Jem hugged her rescuer. He hugged her back and gave her a quick nuzzle before released her.

"I'm alright. They didn't touch me. Thanks, Munk."Jem whispered as she let go as well.

Munk gave her a smile, but it was quickly replaced with a frown as he heard more yowls coming from outside. "Jem, listen to me. I want you to block your den so that no one can get in or out. Don't come out until I say it's safe, ok?"Munk said with urgency in his voice. Jem quickly nodded and began gathering materials to block her den entrance as Munk raced out and back into the battle.

What he saw when he got out both relieved and surprised him. More Jellicles had woken up and were now fighting the henchcats with greater success. But, somehow, there were more henchcats than he last remembered seeing. Their previous numbers had doubled in just the space of a few minutes.

He took a moment to survey the scene. Blood and fur littered the ground, and cats were battling it out with each other. Shouts and yowls filled the night air, reminding him of a scene from a war movie. He was about to enter the fray again, but felt a tap on his shoulder. Munk whirled around and stood face-to-face with none other than Elijah.

"Did ya miss me?" Elijah smirked as he aimed a punch at Munk's jaw. Munk wasn't going to be fooled twice, though. He blocked the punch, but as soon as he did, he felt a hard blow to his stomach.

Munk reeled backwards, gasping, but remained standing. "You! I thought we got rid of you! This is your doing isn't it?"He glared at Elijah, implying the increase of henchcats was his fault.

Elijah smiled menacingly back. "Yeah, sneaky, aren't I? Your cats don't seem to be as weak as I thought they were. That doesn't mean we still won't give them a fair beating, though. No one screws around with Macavity and gets away with it!"He shouted as he tried to kick his opponent again.

Munk just barely managed to dodge the kick as he threw himself at Elijah, ramming him hard. Elijah tumbled to the ground, winded. Hissing, he swiftly picked himself up before Munk could do anymore damage.

"Oh, you're going to pay for that one!"Elijah threatened. He hurled punch after kick at Munk, determined to wear him out as fast as possible. He forced his enemy back with every blow.

Drawing on the training he had back with Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, Munk easily dodged or blocked each of Elijah's attempts to hurt him. But Elijah wasn't Mungojerrie. No, he was much, much better than Munk's tiger-striped friend.

While his opponent showed no signs of stopping or fatigue, Munk was getting tired. It became harder for him to dodge Elijah's punches and kicks. But he wasn't about to give up yet. He started racking his brain for some way to defeat his seemingly unbeatable foe. _"He has to have some weakness! He's good, but he can't be perfect. Think, Munk, what do you know about him?"_Munk smirked as something came to his mind. He remembered Mungojerrie telling him something about Elijah and Rumpleteazer the night Misto and Vicky returned, while he was walking back to his den.

"Elijah! What would Rumpleteazer think if she knew the pain and suffering of her friends and family was your fault? She'd hate you for life, no doubt!"Munk shouted, catching his enemy off guard. He knew it was a low blow, but he had no other option.

Elijah's eyes widened as the thought of his former lover entered his mind. With his concentration momentarily broken, his momentum faltered. Munk didn't hesitate to pass up this opportunity.

Temporarily distracted, Elijah's kick missed its mark. This allowed Munk to easily duck under his leg and skirt quickly around to Elijah's right. Munk swiftly grabbed Elijah's shoulder as he passed and sunk his claws into it as hard as he could.

Elijah screamed in pain as blood began to seep from his right shoulder. Munk used his own momentum against him to throw him to the ground with formidable force. Elijah crashed head-first into the ground as Munk let go. He ended up on his back, writhing in pain.

Before he could get up again, his opponent had his foot at his neck with his claws pressing against his throat. Elijah was prevented from going anywhere, and he knew it.

Munk smiled victoriously down at him, panting. "I have to say, you're a formidable opponent. Now, if tell your toms to retreat, I won't kill you. Sound like a fair deal?"He asked him, pressing his foot against Elijah's neck harder for emphasis.

Elijah winced as more weight was put on his throat. "How do I know you won't just kill me anyway?"He spat, glaring up at the Jellicle Protector.

"I'm a cat of my word. Now take your henchcats and get out."Munk answered, letting up on some of the pressure he was putting on the black tom's neck.

Elijah struggled against his victorious opponent, but he knew it was a futile effort. He kept his mouth shut. Munk raised an eyebrow, waiting. He added the pressure back on and slowly began to sink his hind claws into the side of Elijah's neck.

As a result, Elijah cried out in pain as the claws gradually descended into his skin. He continued to writhe as he looked up at Munk. "Alright, alright! You win, I give. Retreat! Retreat!"He shouted as loud as he could. Munk smirked and lifted his foot off his neck.

At the command, all the henchcats immediately stopped fighting and fled toward wherever they entered from. They left the junkyard as quickly as they came. Elijah stood up, gave Munk one last hiss, and fled as well while clutching his bloody shoulder.

With all of Macavity's fleet gone, Munk observed the damage as he went to check on the other Jellicles. Some dens had been pillaged, with their contents strewn about on the blood-stained ground. Cat fur covered most of the ground, with some still floating in the air. The cats themselves weren't injured too badly. A few small gashes here and there, but otherwise most of them were fine. Bomba and Tanto were found unconscious at the foot of their look-out piles; most likely because of the henchcats. They were quickly rushed to Jenny and Jelly's dens.

Munk was relieved to find that 'Jerrie, 'Teazer, and a few other cats were already helping out with treating the injuries. They stood at the entrance to Jenny's den and quickly cleaned and bandaged the wounds of any cats that needed it. Fortunately, not many of them did.

The kittens had ventured out of Jelly's den, as they had been told it was safe to come out. Munk saw that they were a little shaken as they looked around at the aftermath, but they were otherwise uninjured. The sight of them reminded Munk of Jemima, who was still probably holed up in her den.

He walked swiftly to the queen's den and knocked on the wall. "It's safe to come out, Jem. All the henchcats are gone."He said, hoping she would hear. He walked away toward his own den as he heard items being removed from the entrance.

Upon arriving at his own den, he stepped inside. He stumbled back a few steps as someone flung their arms around his neck.

Demeter hugged him tightly as she laid her head on his chest, letting out a relieved sigh. "I was so afraid, Munk! They didn't get to me, thank Bast, but I sensed Macavity was here. I hid as well as I could until you came. You're not hurt, are you?"She asked as she let go, checking him over for injuries.

Munk gave her a reassuring pat on her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm not injured. I have to check on the other cats. Get some sleep, alright? You've had a tough night."He told his mate as he saw her yawn sleepily.

Demeter nodded, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before making her way to the nest of blankets they shared. She laid down as Munk stepped out of the den.

He patrolled the junkyard for a good half hour, checking that everything and everyone was safe and sound. Satisfied, he walked back to his den and curled up next to a sleeping Demeter, quickly succumbing to the blissful darkness himself.


	14. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats, but I own Elijah. [Insert sarcastic comment here.]

**A/N: We've come to the end of our story, guys...Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! By the way, this chapter is mostly Misto's flashback, as I didn't include anything on him or Vicky in the last chappie. It's much more detailed than Munk's, trust me. Just making it up to my wonderful readers! Enjoy!**

Mistofelees awoke to the gentle, bright sunshine warming his face. He opened his eyes to find that a single shaft of yellow light had made its way through a crack in the roof of Victoria's den. He looked over to find that Victoria herself was sleeping soundly next to him. After what happened last night, he wasn't surprised he was in here.

The previous night felt like a dream. It was too painful and chaotic to even be considered reality. As Misto lifted his head to examine his arms, the white bandages that were wrapped around them gave a stark contrast to his ebony fur. The numerous bruises that were poking out from the edges were proof that last night was anything but a dream. Letting his imagination take over, he re-lived that awful night.

_** Flashback **_

_Misto's POV_

_The night was darker than my fur, if that's even possible. The moon wasn't out, and shadows were indistinguishable from each other. It's no wonder why Munkustrap thinks Macavity will strike tonight. It makes perfect sense: it's pitch-black, so it's much easier to hide, and it's been long enough since Vicky and I got busted out that Macavity might think we forgot about him. _

_Only, we haven't. In fact, we're more prepared than ever for an attack. Munk put Bomba and Tanto on sentry duty and he _never _asks for sentries. He also put more toms on patrol, which is why I'm walking around while alert for danger. I heaved a sigh as I sat down on an ancient pile of crates and rubbed by aching feet. I've been at this for at least three hours, and there wasn't a sign of anything going wrong. _

_Suddenly, I heard a pained yowl from near the Junkyard entrance. I gave a start and got to my feet. I rushed to the area, but stopped when I saw Munk, Admetus and Alonzo already there; trying to pull two scraggly toms apart while they hissed and clawed at each other. I hid behind a small junk pile and watched the action unfold._

"_Alright, that's enough you two, break it up!"I heard Munk boom. The fighting toms immediately stopped and stared at him. One started speaking, but I couldn't make out what he was saying; I was too far away. By the look on Munk's face, though, I could tell the tom was talking back to him. _"You idiot! Do you want to get yourself killed?"_I thought as Munk answered the cat. Munk didn't tolerate attitude at all, and there were severe consequences if you did show disrespect towards him._

_Before long, though, the two toms were on their way without too much of a hassle. Deciding the show was over; I went back to my patrol. _

_My ears flattened against my head in fear as I heard Macavity's trademark laugh echo throughout the Junkyard. I glanced around, thinking that he had come back for me. Yet, that wasn't the case. As I rounded a corner, I saw the ginger tom himself in front of Munk. I ducked behind a trash pile, but still watched the scene in front of me. _

_Macavity and Munk exchanged a few words and I could tell Munk was ready to fight. Macavity, however, was as cool and calm as ever. He snapped his fingers and at least ten toms appeared behind him. _"Invisibility_..."I thought as I saw him punch Munk in the face and disappear. My eyes widened as the henchcats started to disperse and take on my friends. One of them took notice of me and charged straight at me. _

_Acting on instinct, I sent a bolt of magic right at his head. Luckily, it hit and I heard a sickening crack. The tom flew backwards and didn't get up. Adrenaline started coursing through my veins as more toms looked my way and advanced towards me, more cautious than their now dead comrade._

_One of the more foolish toms lunged for my throat, but he didn't succeed. I took care of him just like I took care of his friend before he could get very far. Seeing another one of their comrades done in by me, the toms threw uncertain glances at each other. _

_I took advantage of their momentary distraction and sent bolts of magic at each of them, effectively mowing them down. As the last tom fell, I rested my paws on my knees, panting. _"Gotta remind myself not to waste energy on magic...Now, to find Vic..."_I thought as I looked around for my queenfriend. I spotted her cornered against a tall trash pile with two smiling toms advancing toward her._

_Fury blazed within me as I realized what they were smiling about. I struggled to keep my magic contained as my emotions slowly got out of hand. I swiftly snuck up behind the two toms and grabbed one by the neck. I threw him to the ground as hard as I could and drove my heel into his throat, hoping to break his neck or at least fracture it. The faint crack I heard resound from his neck confirmed my hope. The tom went unconscious and his neck was bent at an unnatural angle. The second tom didn't have much time to react as I went for him next. I mercilessly kicked him in the head before he could so much as take a step back. He crashed into the ground and lost consciousness as well._

_Turning my attention to Victoria, I saw that she was huddled next to the trash heap, scared for her life. The fury that had fueled my violent acts immediately left all traces of itself as we made eye contact. I ran to her and embraced her in a tight hug as she clung to me, trembling._

"_Misto, you saved me! I can't believe you did that to those toms! Thank you so much!"Vicky exclaimed, her voice muffled by my fur. She pulled back and looked at me with joyful tears in her eyes._

"_I would do anything for you, you know that, Vic. I'd dearly love to stay with you, but I have to go fight. They need me out there. Just find a safe place to hide and make sure they don't see you."I told her as I got up to leave. It truly tore my heart apart to leave her alone like this, but I had no other choice. I had to fight._

_Vicky had other plans, though. She pulled me back down again and gave me a quick, but passionate kiss. She pulled away as she cupped my cheek. "I understand. Promise me you'll be safe? Go kick some henchcat ass for me, will you?"She asked with a smirk._

_I put her paw down and smiled at her. "That's my girl! I promise I'll come back in one piece. Now go hide! Don't worry about me!"I said with a chuckle as we both got up and headed in opposite directions._

_As I turned around to enter back into the fray, my eyes widened in horror. A new wave of about twenty henchcats was charging into the Junkyard! Even more to my dismay, I recognized the cat who was leading them. "Elijah, you son of a pollicle...You'll pay dearly for this! I thought we were friends..."I whispered to myself with a hint of sadness in my voice. I liked the tom, even though I had my suspicions. To see him bring this turmoil upon my friends and I obliterated any good thoughts I ever had towards him._

_So began the longest night of my life. I fought countless henchcats alongside my friends with both magical and physical strength. I grew more and more exhausted with every bolt of magic I threw at the relentless henchcats that tried to bring me down. As the fighting wore on, I thought they might get the better of me. I glanced over at my friends and saw that they were getting pretty tired as well. It was getting harder to dodge the punches and kicks they sent me, as the ever-growing amount of scratches and bruises on my body could prove. _

_Finally, after what seemed like hours, I was ready to give up. My mind stopped working a while ago, and it was like my body was on auto-pilot, being driven solely by instinct. The sheer exhaustion that had taken its toll on my body made me feel nothing, physically or emotionally. When I heard a voice that I knew was unmistakably Elijah's shout, "Retreat! Retreat!"I thought the exhaustion was messing with my head and making me hear things. But as I gave a quick glance around, I discerned the henchcats really were fleeing the area. I watched them as I swayed on my feet a little. My body was more than ready to give into the fatigue I was feeling; to get away from the throbbing pain that now racked every part of it, but my mind wouldn't let it. There was one more thing I had to do: find Victoria._

_I stumbled through the war zone that was my home, searching for my queenfriend. My numbed mind dimly took in the blood-stained ground and the various household objects that were strewn about on it. I had a good idea of where they came from, but I didn't really care. As I staggered into what I thought was Victoria's den, I felt a pair of arms encircle me and Victoria's sweet scent fill my nose. With my quest for finding my queenfriend completed, I had no trouble letting my weariness overtake me and plunge me into a peaceful darkness._

_**End Flashback**_

As Misto shook his head vigorously to get the memories out, he accidentally disturbed Victoria who was still sleeping beside him. She stirred and slowly opened her sky-blue eyes to look up at him.

She yawned and smiled. "G'morning...How are you feeling? I was worried sick about you all night, you know."She said as her smile was replaced with a small frown.

"I told you I'd be back in one piece, didn't I? By the way, you did a great job with fixing me up. I feel much better than last night."Misto complimented with a smirk.

Vicky rolled her eyes at him and sat up. "Hardly. When you stumbled into my den last night, you looked like you had gone through a blender and back out again! I spent most of the night cleaning all your wounds and trying to stop the bleeding. Luckily for you, they were only minor. I can't help but feel proud of you, though. All those scratches and bruises told me you fought valiantly. I guess that means you're my brave warrior now, huh?"She purred as she gave him a quick nuzzle.

Misto returned the affectionate gesture, but his fragile body soon protested. He winced and laid his head back down.

Victoria didn't fail to notice his pain. "You're still in a lot of pain, aren't you? Just get some rest; I'll go catch us some breakfast. You don't have to worry about anything."She explained as she stood up and walked out of the den.

Misto gazed after her as he settled himself into a more comfortable position. He closed his eyes as he let the need for sleep take over once again. _"It's over. Everything is alright."_He thought as he succumbed to sleep.

**The End**


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